Where You Belong
by Kayleigh Cullen1918
Summary: Bella, Alice and Rosalie have been offered the job of a lifetime, running their own studio at a fabulous resort in Utah. Everything is perfect... untill they meet their new neighbours. Edward, Jasper and Emmett run the resorts hottest bar and are known for their womanising ways. How will they react when they meet their beautiful neighbours. Please review. Rated M to be safe.
1. Where You Belong

**A/N Hi everyone! This is the new and improved first chapter to Where You Belong. I would like to thank the amazing momma2fan. Who did the impossible and Beta'd (It's a word) this chapter. Id like everyone to give her a virtual round of applause. She rocks!**

**Where You Belong**

BPOV

I was at work, collecting notes from the office floor, when Alice's ringtone starting blaring from my pocket.

"I come home, in the morning light, my mother says-" I quickly opened my cell phone when I noticed everyone looking at me.

"Hey, Alice, what's up?"

"Oh my God, Bella! I have the most exciting news!" She squealed into the phone.

She was so loud that three people, once again, looked at me before returning to their work.

"Okay, what's the most exciting news?" I asked rolling my eyes. I picked up a stack of papers from Marilyn, a woman in her mid-thirties with flaming red hair. "More complaints, Marilyn?" I asked laughing.

She winked at me. "You know it."

"Bella, are you listening to me?" Alice demanded angrily.

"Yes, Alice, you have my undivided attention." I promised her sarcastically as I continued to make my way around the office.

"Well, do you remember my Godfather, Joseph Jenkins?" She asked.

I remembered him. He owned a bunch of successful vacation resorts. He also had a soft spot for Alice, Rose and I.

"Yeah, of course I remember Joey." I answered.

She squealed in excitement. "Well, a couple of years ago he opened this HUGE resort in Utah. And he wanted to add something new, to get more people staying there. I mean it's successful, always busy, he just wanted something fresh." She rambled on obviously not wanting me to get the wrong impression of the hotel.

"Yeah, I remember Alice. You told me. Did he finally figure it out?" I asked absently as I tried to pick up a new stack of papers using only one hand.

"Yes! He actually built a studio..." she trailed off suggestively and regaining my attention.

"A dance studio?"

"Yes," she answered cheerfully. "I suggested it the last time I talked to him. I explained that should he offer dance lessons. You know, bring in the Dirty Dancing crowd?" She laughed. "So, he thought it over and he's had a studio added to the property, near the Gym and Spa." She prattled on while I stood there with hands full of papers and mail trying to keep up with her.

"Bella, he offered us the job! Me, you and Rose, he wants us to teach the classes!" She squealed again.

I froze mid-step, completely stunned at her words.

"You want to move to Utah? But you love the city!" I argued.

"Yes, I know, but this is a great opportunity. Look, if it sucks I'll talk to him and we can move back. But, just imagine, Bella, what this would look like on your resume alone. And we can actually teach our own classes and set our own schedule."

"Alice, it sounds great, but we have a jobs and responsibilities. We can't just pick up and move to Utah." I tried to reason with her.

"Okay," she grumbled. "I see your point. How about you think about it for a while, look it up online and we can have a family meeting tonight?" She suggested.

Now, when Alice said 'family meeting' it wasn't just a cute little thing we said because we lived together. It was because we were best friends and as close as sisters.

We are all only children; Alice's parents died when she was sixteen and before their death were very focused on their careers. Rosalie's parents never paid much attention to their daughter, they were either too busy with their 'secret' affairs, or too busy at work so they tended to just throw her a new credit card to keep her out of their way. She called herself the Brooke Davis of San Francisco.

And my parents, well Charlie, I didn't see much of him until I was fourteen and even then things were...complicated. And Renee, well, she's more of a child than a mother; she would have no problem saying yes to Utah.

So, since none of us had ever really had a family we could rely on, we created our own. I would die if anything happened to one of them. Alice and Rosalie were my sisters, blood or not.

"Okay," I agreed. "The three of us and three bowls of ice cream." I laughed.

"I'll go get the ice cream!" She squealed through the phone and then hung up on me.

I finished the rest of my morning in a daze. I didn't like my job, in fact I hated it. I was a personal assistant for a slightly eccentric asshole, who treated every single one of his employee's like slaves. We had to work as scheduled and if you had to take a day off for your child's doctor's appointment, he'd most likely fire you.

So, no, I wouldn't miss this place. What would happen if Utah is a bust? Then we would be jobless and homeless. Alice was addicted to shopping she needs a steady wage coming in.

I wondered what Rosalie would think.

Rosalie and I are a lot alike. Alice is more silly and away with the fairies. It's Rosalie and I who are the cynical and sarcastic ones.

So I'm guessing, that unlike Alice, she'll be thinking about what could go wrong, too.

After lunch and getting the absolute asshole his lunch, I checked out the resort website.

I had to admit, it looked pretty good. It appeared to be a beautiful haven in the middle of the Utah desert. There were a lot of classes and activities that guests could participate in, a number of bars on the property, each according to tastes. I liked the sound of one bar, New Moon. It was the bar where most of the younger guests and even the staff hung out. And there it was mentioned, the new classes that would be available in a month's time.

It was strange to think that I could be the one teaching those classes, working in the studio that was shown on the website.

I had to admit, the place looked too good to be true, but of course it would sound that way. It was a website designed with the very purpose of encouraging people to stay there.

As I finished another long day, I decided that I would talk it over with Rosalie and Alice and the majority ruled. We were a family and that's the way we had always decided anything big and if they wanted me to take the chance, then I would.

If it had not been for them taking a chance on me and seeing something in me, I wouldn't have them as sisters.

I tossed my keys and purse onto the sofa as I walked into the apartment we shared and kicked off my heels with a sigh of relief.

"Come on, Bella!" Alice shouted impatiently from the kitchen area.

Our apartment wasn't overly big, just enough for the three of us to share without killing each other. It was open-spaced and warm and inviting with big overstuffed sofas and plenty of light, as well as being cool and trendy.

I got up with a sigh and made my way over to the kitchen table and slumped down in a chair.

I looked over at the beautiful blond next to me and saw that Rosalie looked torn.

"I'll go first," Alice decided and looked at us with pleading eyes. "This could be really great, guys. Joey would never screw us over, we'd even be getting our own three bedroom cabin. There's a town about an hour's drive away and we get to teach our own classes." She stressed. "Come on, this is my Dirty Dancing fantasy come to life!" She all but squealed.

Rosalie took her turn next. "I'm not sure, Ali." She started gently. "What if we don't like it? We may not have our dream jobs right now, but we have jobs and a steady income. What happens if we're not happy there? We'd be stuck there miserable, or we'd have to come home and find new jobs and a new place to live." She tried to reason with Alice and then frowned; even frowning she was still the most beautiful person I'd ever seen. "Besides, won't we just be teaching a bunch of pre-teens and senior citizens how to do the Tango?" She glanced at me with worry in her eyes.

She was a person who loved adventure and was full of life, teaching old folks how to Tango was not a part of her plans.

Alice got up and grabbed a tub of ice cream, three spoons and placed it on the table. "Bella?" She asked, sounded a little defeated at we tucked into the pint of Rocky Road.

I felt terrible, I knew she had always wanted her real life Dirty Dancing. I swallowed my ice cream and looked from her to Rose.

"I agree with Rosalie, Alice. It would be different if we knew for sure that we would be happy in Utah and if we weren't going into this blindly."

"Yes, but if we don't give it a try, we may never know! Did I not mention our own cabin and the chance to actually teach our own classes? We'd have a studio and work when we want and still have a steady income from the hotel. Even the staff's cabins are meant to be beautiful. There's so much space they have a part of the land just for the staff that live on the grounds and because of our relationship with Joey we get the best of the best!" She screeched, waving her arms like a maniac before slumping back into her chair.

"Look..." I began. "If you both want to go, I will too. I may not have the best feeling about it, but I trust you. If you really want to go and say it will be fun, then it will be."

Alice lit up before remembering that this was all for one and we both turned to Rosalie.

She shrugged her shoulders as she licked the ice cream from her spoon. "I go where you two go. If it happens to be in some shitty little shack in the middle of Utah, where we'll most likely be slaughtered in the middle of the night, so be it." She grinned.

Alice's scream of joy made us both jolt, before she squeezed the life out of us and then skipped off and to open a bottle of wine and pour it into three tall wine glasses.

"So, we're going?" She confirmed.

"Yes, we're going," Rosalie and I answered at the same time.

Her smile could have lit up Las Vegas. "You won't regret this. I can't wait to pack! It's going to be so good. I have to call Joey and let him know when we'll be coming so that he can get our cabin set up. I wonder what our neighbors will be like. Oh! We have to quit our jobs and have our things shipped to Utah... We totally have to drive there and have a road trip!" Alice continued to ramble on as we dug into the ice cream, rolling our eyes at her.

Alice motioned for us to raise our half empty glasses.

"To our new life, and our new adventure in Utah." She smirked. "I just hope that the Jenkins Hotel is ready for us."

"To Utah?" Rosalie smiled like she couldn't believe the words were actually coming from her mouth.

"To Utah." Alice and I answered as we clinked glasses.

I don't know what it will have in store, but I knew that even if it were terrible, somehow we'd make it work. As long as I have these two girls with me, everything would turn out just fine.

Over the next month Rosalie, Alice and I were extremely busy. We had to pack our things, and have them organised to be shipped to Utah. Figure out what we were going to do with the things that we weren't taking, and fix up the apartment from all the D.I.Y jobs we failed at.

My best day was getting to quit my job. I decided that if Jenkins was a bust, I wouldn't regret it, just because of the look on his face as I handed him my resignation. Both Alice and Rosalie were pleased to be leaving, too. Though they both liked their jobs better than me, they weren't dancing and without that any job would seem meaningless.

It was the night before we left New York and we were all sitting on the floor of our now empty apartment, in the living room, on three inflatable mattresses. We refused to sleep in a sleeping bag. I happen to like being able to move my body without groaning and the hard wood floor would definitely go against our plans to be able to stand erect. We were sitting there talking about tomorrow. We were excited and nervous at the same time.

"Can you believe it? Tomorrow, we will be living in the desert!" Rosalie stated, shocked. She was a city girl. We all were.

"Hey, as long as there is indoor plumbing, and a cabin, I'm fine." I told them. I didn't do nature.

"I agree. I don't do nature." Alice spoke my thoughts. Rosalie and I nodded our heads in agreement. We screamed if we saw a spider and flirted with the guy next door to come over and get it.

"So, I was looking it up, it still seems a little too good to be true. There's a golf course on the property, a lake, you can go swimming in the pools they have and the gardens." Rosalie listed off.

"Of course, it is! You know Joey; he doesn't do anything halfway. Did you think his hotel would be like some crappy motel in the middle of nowhere? No. He likes to think of it as an oasis. He makes sure it's perfect. Having just dead land around you, and nothing to do, wouldn't be perfect!" Alice rambled on.

"Okay, Alice. We get it. It's perfect."

"I just hope there's a Johnny Castle waiting for me." She sighed wistfully as her eyes glazed over with the image in her head.

"Yeah," Rosalie and I wouldn't be any other dancers there, apart from us. Joey said he wanted to see if it was successful first before he hired anymore people.  
"Oh, and I can't wait to go to that bar, New Moon. I spoke to some people who went to the Jenkins and said it was good. They suggested we make it our regular hang out. Apparently, it has great music and the bartenders can make any drink and you can dance or just hang out." Of course Rosalie would make sure she got us a good hang out.

"Good!" Alice said clapping her hands. "Now, come on. We have a long drive ahead of us tomorrow and we need our beauty sleep. There is no way that I am meeting my Johnny with bags under my eyes." Alice shuddered at the thought.

"Alice, it's not like we'll be able to go on a man hunt, we'll have to unpack and get settled in." I was always the level headed one. Well, more than the girls, anyway. Besides, I wanted everything done and out of the way.

"What if he walks by us and I'm looking awful? That could be the reason I don't get my happily ever after, Bella." She was dead serious and that worried me.

"Okay, Alice. Fine, goodnight." I kissed them both on the cheek and lay down as Alice and Rosalie kissed on the cheek and Alice turned off the lamp next to her. Moonlight filled the apartment and I stared out of the window, listening to the noisy city.  
"Guys?" Alice whispered.

"Yeah?" We responded in the same hushed tone.

"Thanks for doing this. For trusting me enough to pack up your lives and take this chance with me." We could hear the gratitude and love in her voice, as she thanked us.

"You're welcome, Alice." We responded, said our goodnights and drifted off into a deep sleep.

The next morning, we were all rushing about and complaining about how uncomfortable our sleep was. We finally convinced Alice to go with just jeans and a T-shirt. Of course, she made sure she had the causal look down. She looked like she was a model for a summer issue of a teen magazine.

"Has our stuff arrived?" Rose asked Alice, as we were leaving the apartment.

"Yes. They called me an hour ago and said everything arrived. Someone let them into the cabin. All we have to do is unpack." Alice said with a smile.

"I wonder if we can flirt with some guys and get them to move the heavy things." Rosalie mumbled; she didn't believe in heavy lifting.

I laughed. "Just put on your red dress and I'm sure they would be more than willing." She just gave me a shove, but I could see in her eyes, that she was considering it.

We all looked back at our building. "I guess this is really the end." I said.

"Yeah." They both said.

We were kind of sad to say goodbye to the place where we called home and had so many great memories. Boyfriends, break-ups, birthdays, and girl's nights. All our happiest and some of our crappiest memories were tied to this place. We climbed into our new car, I don't drive, but we all put a third to the Mini Cooper. Alice loved it and said it was 'totally hot'. We never had a need for a car in the city. It only took longer with all the traffic.

I climbed into the back and looked out the window. I can still remember when we moved here after college, we were so excited. Everyone had warned us that it may not work out and we believed them at first. It was hard adjusting to the city, the noise, the people, but we did it. Maybe it will be the same this time.

Rosalie turned to look back at me from the driver's seat. "What is it honey? You look like you're a thousand miles away." She smiled at me warmly.

The one thing about Rose is that while she may be hard on the outside, she was one of the most loving people I knew. And she was incredibly loyal.

"I was just thinking about when we first moved here." I said softly. Alice and Rosalie both smiled at their memories of that time. "Do you think it'll be the same in Utah?" I asked them.

"Of course! We all know it's not going to be perfect at first, but we'll make it work." Rosalie said reassuringly.

"I know. We're together." Alice agreed. "Now let's get this show on the road!" Alice said as she pumped her tiny hand in the air, hitting the roof of the car. "Ouch!" She squealed as she cradled her hand and started swearing. Rosalie and I being the loving and concerned friends we are, burst out laughing. "My loving sisters, ladies and gentlemen." She scowled. We just continued to laugh. "Just drive the car." She said and put on the radio.

Rosalie calmed herself down and started the car. I Touch Myself by The Divinyls came on and Rose's hand shot to the volume and turned it up full blast. We all sang along.  
"I love myself, I want you to love me.  
When I feel down, I want you above me.  
I search myself, I want you to find me.  
I forget myself, I want you to remind me.  
I don't want anybody else,

When I think about you, I touch myself.

As we zoomed down the highway, the car was filled with our laughter

**A/N Well, there you have it! I will be posting soon and I hoped you all enjoyed it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Hi! Well, here is chapter 2. It is also now 02:47am. So, if you see any notes that are not supposed to be there, could you PM and let me know and I will apologise in advance. Thank you.**

BPOV

We arrived at Jenkins with wide eyes. It was just how it looked on its web page.

"Wow." I murmured and they nodded in agreement.

After being introduced to the manager, Trudy, we were shown to our cabin. As we got out of the car, Alice came to me and Rose and put her arms around our shoulders. "Welcome home, ladies." She said with a smile.

I looked up at the cabin. It was nice sized, log cabin, with a front porch. It was big enough for the three of us and it was two stories, which would be new. We were used to living in our apartment. We only lived on the third floor there and we still took the elevator. We didn't like to have to climb stairs in three inch heels.

Alice grabbed our hands and pulled us up the front steps and opened the door with the key. It was pretty big inside, the door opened straight into the living room and the stairs were right opposite the front door. The living room led through to the kitchen and another door, which I assumed was a bathroom. Alice had promised us that we all had our own bathroom, but not to expect them to be big. Basic toilets, sink, and shower. As we looked around downstairs, we couldn't keep the smiles off our faces. It was wonderful. Our things had arrived and so our cream sofa was facing the log fire. I for one would not be building that.

I looked in the bathroom, and found it had a big tub which meant, bubble-baths! The kitchen wasn't large, but it was big enough for the three of us and our small dining room table.

As we reconvened in the living room, I noticed the happy grins on Alice and Rose's face. We stood there for a second before the squealing started. We were all just so excited. To be honest, I expected a one floor, run down cabin, that would make the cabin on We're going where?!, look like the Ritz. This was completely different. With a little color, it could be amazing.

We continued to gush about what we loved about it, the big window, the porch, the big tub. When a thought hit me...bedrooms. With that I ran upstairs and picked the bedroom at the end of the hallway. "Called it!" I yelled.

"That was devious Bella Swan." I heard Alice shout.

Then Rose shouted. "Called it!"

"Man, I get the one right by the stairs. What if we have burglars?" She shouted from her room.

"Then crawl under your bed!" I shouted back.

"I said that, so you would give me the room, Bella. I'm the smallest!" She shouted.

"You're also the loudest!" I hollered back and heard Rose laugh. I went into my bathroom, and just as expected, there was a toilet, a sink with a cabinet underneath, and a shower. It was an ugly shade of orange.

"I feel like I'm on the inside of a banana!" Rosalie shouted. I'm guessing that was the color of her bathroom.

I walked out to find Alice and Rose walking in my room. "What color is yours?" I asked Alice.

"Pink." She said with a smug smile. "Don't worry ladies; the paint is with our things. Also, the beds are downstairs." She trailed off and looked at Rosalie.

She just smirked. "Which box is the one with my red dress?" She asked us and we started laughing.

It actually worked. There were a couple of guys walking past when she wondered outside in her dress, playing her role as ditsy blond in distress to perfection. As soon as Mike and Tyler came in and saw me and Alice also playing our roles, they soon called some of their friends and we were unpacked in no time. They even painted our bathrooms. Mine was now a powder blue, Rose had a deep plum that set off her white bathroom accessories beautifully and Alice went for a fuchsia pink. We went for a neutral color in the downstairs bathroom.  
My room was unpacked around midnight and we only had the kitchen left. It was around three when we heard our next door neighbors come home.

Alice started bouncing up and down, pissing off me and Rose. No one should be this energetic at three in the morning. "Can we go introduce ourselves?" She pleaded and turned off the radio. She was dragging us to the front door when we heard flirtatious giggles.

We looked at each other, and then ran upstairs to Alice's room, which faced directly to the front of our cabin. We turned off the light and looked out the window. Okay, so we liked to hear the gossip. Sue us!  
We saw three men, with a girl draped over each of them. The girls were giggling like crazy and I wondered if they thought it was sexy. By the looks on Alice and Rose's face, they wondered it too. We listened harder when they started talking.

"I don't know. I bet you tell all the girls that, Emmett." One of the girls said.

"Me?" He said with innocence. "I have never used that line. We really don't normally hook up with girls from the bar."

"Oh, I bet." Rosalie snickered quietly.

"Jasper, is this true?" Another one asked.

"Of course it's true. We don't normally do this, but you're special." Someone with a slight southern accent sounded. I was offended. I had grown up in Texas and he was letting the side down. Luckily, I had never really gotten a strong accent and it had weakened over the years.

"That's so cheesy!" Alice giggled.

"Oh, that's so sweet. Edward, do you think I'm special?" I'm guessing the third one asked.

"Of course, I do." A velvet voice answered.

"That has got to be a line." Alice said shaking her head.

"Definitely." Rose and I agreed. They went inside after that and we stood up.

I looked at Alice. "So, still want to go and meet the neighbors? I bet they'll think we're really…SPECIAL." I said and then we burst out laughing.

About twenty minutes later, we had nearly finished the kitchen and decided it was too late, or early, whichever, to put the music on. That's when we heard it.

"Oh, Emmett! Oh, yes!" A girl shouted.

"Great." I said dryly. "She's a screamer." We couldn't keep it in and started laughing again.

"I can't believe it. Maybe they really don't do it." Alice said causing Rose and I rolled our eyes.

"Ali, honey. That's such a line. And besides, when I was talking to Trudy and you and Bella we're getting the keys, she said to watch out for the Casanovas next door." Rose told Alice. We had finally finished and went upstairs to crash out.

I had barely fallen asleep when suddenly, my door swung open and a very pissed off Rosalie stormed into my room.

"All I can hear is someone shouting for a Jasper to treat her like the naughty girl she is." She snarled as she got in my bed. Rosalie loved sleep, we all did. And even if our alarm clock went off ten minutes early, it was getting thrown into the wall. When we heard a 'Oh god, yes!' She screamed in frustration. "Can't they put a muzzle on that girl's mouth? Or a pillow, that ought to shut her up!" I just started giggling. "Bella, this isn't funny." She growled at me.

My door swung open again and Alice stomped in and crawled onto my bed and got in-between me and Rose. "What did you hear?" I asked whilst laughing.

"Some girl telling someone named Eddie that he was the best lover she ever had. Guess what his response was?" We shrugged. "Don't call me, Eddie!" She said and we burst out in laughter

We woke up the next morning, well closer to noon, very excited, but still moody. We all felt like crap for the lack of sleep. When we collapsed in to our seats at the dining room table with a coffee in each of our hands - coffee being the only food product that we had packed, we were going shopping later- we were like the night of the living dead.  
"I'm tired." Alice whined, shoving her sleeping mask over her eyes and dropping her head onto the table with a loud thud. "Ouch." She whimpered, causing Rose and I to burst into hysterics. She took it off and threw it at us and pouted until we calmed down.

"Think about it, Alice. Today we get to check out the studio!" Rosalie said trying to cheer her up. It worked, she soon smiled.

"Okay, how about, we check out the studio, and then catch one of the exercise classes at the gym?" She suggested and Rose and I gave her dead pan looks.

"Why go to the gym? I'm tired." Rose nodded her head in agreement.

"Well, think about it. If the classes at the gym suck, we can teach our own dance exercise class. It would be so much fun!" She clapped and Rose caught her hands, keeping them still.

"No clapping." She ordered and took a big drink of coffee. "I hate our neighbors." She admitted as she closed her eyes.

"Me, too." I told her.

"Come on, guys. I'm sure they didn't even know we were here." Alice said making us roll our eyes.

"Alice, we're in the desert, at the back of the property. I bet Mike and Tyler could have heard them!" Rose snapped.

"Well, it was probably a one off." She was determined to like our neighbors.

"I'm with Rose. I say we cut off their electricity." Rose nodded her head in appreciation.

"Wait, what about the water systems? I heard sometimes when they're connected, if one house is in the shower, that the other house can't get hot water. Tell me you asked Joey?" Rosalie begged.

"Pfft!" Alice waved her off. "That's not going to happen." She said confidently.

"Well, let's go shower and head over to check out the studio." I said as I stood up, slowly.

When we got there we were amazed again. It was a good size and the entire west wall was mirrored. The north was glass that had blinds to give privacy. The floor was hard wood and it had air conditioning and a built in stereo, so we had surround sound.

We walked slowly into the back. There was a locker room, that had a bathroom and showers inside, and an office that had one desk and a sofa. I'm guessing so we could relax in there. On the desk was a vase of roses.

Alice ran over and pick up the card. "Girls, welcome to Jenkins! I hope you like your cabin and then studio. I know you're going to do a great job. Enjoy your first class tomorrow. See you soon. Love, Joey." Alice read out.

We sat down on the sofa. "It's amazing." Rose murmured. "Our own studio, our own dances, and our own music. Amazing."

Alice and I nodded our heads in agreement.

We got settled in, bringing in some CD's and things just to make it more us and decided to change and head over to the gym to catch the class we wanted to check out. Alice put her hair in two tiny piggy tales, and wore a white tank top and her three quarter jog bottoms. Rosalie put her hair up in a ponytail and her tight tank top and shorts that emphasized her curves. I just wore a tank top and joggers and shoved my hair up in a ponytail and we headed to the gym.

The class sucked! It worked all the muscles, really well, but it was boring. The music was outdated and there was no energy to it.

"This is all work and no play." Alice whispered to me.

"Why are you whispering? She can't hear you over this crap." Rosalie snapped.

"Seriously, we need to come up with something." I murmured.

"Oh my god! Look at those girls! Are they actually applying blush in an exercise class?" Alice asked incredulous. I looked over and saw the girls applying make-up and completely ignoring the instructor. Not that I blamed them for the latter.

"What idiots!" Rosalie muttered.

"Okay girls, now we're going to do our lunges. Now remember, lunge forward and then lunge back."

I looked at Rose and Alice. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Oh who cares? Just do lunges." Rosalie instructed.

"I hate lunges!" I hissed and they giggled. When all we had to do was walk forward four steps crossing our arms over and under, I smiled. "You see? Now this, I like." Alice and Rose laughed, earning us a scowl from the woman in front of us. Rosalie just rolled her eyes.

When we had to do squats we all groaned. She was just doing the same old things that had been around for far too long. People didn't want to exercise to the same old thing.

Alice squatted a little too low on one and came back up with a whimper. "I think I just broke my ass." She said, causing me to laugh hysterically, earning a glare. Rose was actually clutching her sides as Alice squirmed.

"Ladies." The instructor warned and we sobered up, but still continued to giggle.

I turned around to see who was hissing about us, when I looked into the most piercing emerald eyes I have ever seen. It was like my gaze was glued to his. It looked like he had messy bronze hair and was unbelievably beautiful. There were two men behind them. One looking at Roses ass and one was just staring at Alice. "I think we have an audience." I told the girls. They looked at me, and then followed my gaze. Upon being noticed, they raced off.

"Creepy." Rosalie said.

"Okay, ten more minutes ladies!" The instructor shouted.

"Thank god." We all sighed.

But as we finished, I couldn't stop thinking about man with the emerald eyes and messy hair.

**A/N Was there any? Again, thank you! And please review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Hi guys! As promised here is the next chapter! As soon as I get the next one I'll put it up!**

**Thanks!**

**EPOV**

We had just finished in the gym and were on our way back to our place. Emmett, Jasper and I had met a year ago when we all started work at Jenkins. We had been in one of the crappy little cabins and decided to see if we could get one of the bigger ones together. We had been living together ever since and had soon become best friends. It worked out rather well; Emmett was loud and a total jock, but he had a heart of pure gold. Jasper was the quiet one, which is a good thing with Emmett around and he shared more of my sense of humor.

We loved working at Jenkins, I mean, what's not to love? I got to work with my friends, we had unlimited access to the gym and the facilities here. We would meet girls, who were just looking for some fun for a couple of weeks with the bartenders. Yes, sometimes they thought it was going to turn into something more, but seriously, who thought a two week fling with someone they don't know would suddenly turn into some fairytale love story? Yes, we did lead them on, but we were young guys, looking to have fun, not settle down.

Jasper and I were laughing about Emmett trying to out-bench some professional weight lifter, when he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. Jasper and I glanced at each other and shrugged, before walking back to him. He was looking in a window into one of the rooms where they taught exercise classes.

"Well, hello hotties!" He said with a whistle.

"Emmett, can we not stand here leering at the women." Jasper hissed at him and smiled politely at the middle aged woman who glared at us as she walked passed. "Please, Emmett." He said as soon as she left.

"Look at them!" He said, as he pointed at the window. I quickly grabbed his hand and shoved it down. "Just look." He whined until we looked.

"What are we looking for?" I asked impatiently, as I looked over my shoulder.

"The mirrored wall," he answered sarcastically. "The girls, you dumbass!"

I looked into the room and saw who he was talking about. In the middle of the room full of middle aged women and girls who were trying to get our attention, were three of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. The first girl was really tiny. She wouldn't even come to my shoulder. She had short black hair tied into short piggy tales and looked like a pixie. The next was a golden haired girl, who looked like she belonged on the cover of a magazine. She was curvy and tall and I could see why Emmett was now openly staring at her ass.

The third was the most beautiful of all. She had her long dark hair pulled pack in to a pony tail. She was paler than the other two, but her skin had an olive undertone to it, and she had the most beautiful warm brown eyes I had ever seen. She looked at her friends and laughed at something the pixie-like one had said. Her smile was beautiful and I found myself smiling warmly at her.

"Who are they?" Emmett asked.

"I'm guessing they came with that group of sorority girls, they look young enough." Jasper murmured his eyes were glued to the little one.

I noticed as the sun shined in the room, that the brunette's hair shone chestnut when in the sun.

"May I help you boys?" I cringed at the nasal sound behind us. Lauren.

She came about the same time as us and worked in the restaurant. She was forever flirting with all of us, and after a one night stand with Emmett, thought that they were destined forever. He'd finally had enough and told her he was drunk that night and felt dirty, when she sent him a mixed tape. Still, she didn't give in. And along with her friends, Jessica and Maria, we each had our own little stalker.

"No thanks." Emmett said curtly.

When we turned back around, the brunettes gaze caught mine. She turned back around and said something to her friends. We bolted when they turned back to look at us. Once outside, we all breathed a sigh of relief.

Emmett clapped his hands. "Well, boys, looks like there's some fresh meat here at Jenkins." Jasper just grimaced and walked past him. "What?" He asked me, not understanding why Jasper left.

"Fresh meat, Emmett?" I asked and walked off. I walked home with them, thinking of the beautiful girl with the dark hair and brown eyes. I understood why Emmett was confused about how Jasper and I had reacted, but in the brief moment when our gazes locked, I didn't just want her to be a one night stand or a fling. I thought of her brown eyes, they were very expressive. I had always been pretty good at guessing what someone was thinking, but I couldn't tell with her. I could tell her friends thought the class was ridiculous, but I couldn't tell with her. Untill our eyes met. In them I saw amusement, kindness and something else, I couldn't quite decipher. I wanted to speak to her, to find out what her tiny friend had said that was so funny.

What was wrong with me? I didn't usually react this way.

**BPOV **

The next week was great. We had a good number of people coming to the classes, we were well liked and having fun. Alice was pleased to rub an 'I told you so' in our faces. We had to agree, it was fabulous.  
We hadn't really had a look around the hotel because we were busy with the cabin and the studio. Rose couldn't wait to check out New Moon.  
The only problem was our neighbors, or The Three Musketeers, as we had taken to calling them. The night after the Gym, they were quiet, but after that, it was business as usual. Every night Alice had to restrain Rose from going over and killing them at the three in the morning. Alice didn't know that Rose had already written them a note telling them to keep down the noise or she would get the janitor to cut off their electric. It changed nothing, of course. Every night, we heard how special they thought the girls were. How they never went home with girls from the bar. They made us sick.

Then the next morning, we would see the girl's leave, never to return again. So, we hated them. They can sleep with who they want to, but they're messing up our sleep patterns.

What I found the most disappointing was that I never saw the man with the green eyes again. It's pathetic to admit, but I was sort of keeping an eye out for him. I don't know what it was about him, but I wanted…no needed, to find out.

It was now Thursday and Alice had convinced us to go the cafe. It was small, yet cozy. It smelled like coffee and that was good enough for us after another night of the assholes and their 'Special' guests.

"This is nice." Rose commented as we took our seats.

"Yeah," I agreed absently, as I looked at the menus. That's when I heard it.

"Bella Swan?!" Someone screeched behind me.

I grimaced I would recognize that voice anywhere. It sounded like nails on a blackboard. "Please don't let it be her. Please don't let it be her." I prayed, as I turned around and my prayers had failed me. "Jessica!" I said with fake cheer.

I was the engulfed in a hug by a woman who wore way too much perfume. Seriously, she smelled like a hooker's handbag. She grabbed the seat next to me and smiled. It was fake, of course. Just like her blonde hair, tan, and nails, and her breasts from the looks of it too. Alice and Rose looked at me questioningly. Oh right, they had never had to suffer through meeting her when I had taken them to Forks.

"Oh, sorry!" In more ways than one, I wanted to add. "This is Jessica Stanley. We were friends in high school. Jess, this is Rosalie Hale and Alice Brandon." I introduced the she-devil to my best friends.

"Pleased to meet you." She said with fake cheer. I knew how she worked; she saw them, and maybe me, as competition. It's like high school all over again.

"You too." Rose and Alice replied.

"So, Bella, what are you doing here?" She asked with a smile. Man, it must hurt her cheeks.

"Rose, Alice and I are the new dance teachers. Why are you here?" I asked politely, when really I wanted to ask the Gods why they hated me.

"Oh, well, me and Lauren got a job here a couple of years ago."

"Lauren?" I asked. Lauren, she was more fake than Jess, and hated me with a passion. Great.

"Yes. So, where's Jake? I heard you two were getting married." She said with a smile.

Oh, no. I didn't want to talk about this now. Not ever. Luckily, I had the two greatest friends on the planet.

"Why don't you tell us about the place?" Rosalie suggested.

I threw her a grateful smile when Jessica started to babble on. Thirty minutes, and two years later, she had finally finished with talking about how Mike had dumped her, and the countless guys she's had since then and the one she was now after. Rosalie and Alice looked like they were going to fall to sleep.

"So, which cabin are you guys in?" Jessica asked.

"Six." Rosalie answered.

She looked shocked for a minute, and maybe even a little pissed off, but she soon pasted back on that fake smile of hers. "So you live next to the boys."

That got our attention.

"Wait, you know them?" Rosalie asked.

"Yeah, they are really hot and funny and smart. I'm dating Edward." She bragged, yet it also seemed like it was a warning. The girls picked up on that and smirked.

"Really? That's odd, last night I heard him calling out a, Kimberly's, name." Alice said innocently. Evil little pixie.

"Well, we're not exclusive." Jessica sniffed.

"I'll bet." Rosalie said dryly.

Jessica glanced around her. "Well, I have to get back to work. I'll see you later." With that, she left.

"You survived more than thirty minutes of that?" Alice asked in disbelief. I just grimaced.

"We're not coming here again." Rosalie said and we left.

I was making Fajitas tonight, and the girls were helping. Alice's job was to warm up the tortilla wraps and Rosalie was helping me chop the peppers.

"I don't want this to be burning hot Bella." Rosalie warned me.

"It won't be." I assured her. "Here, try the yellow one." I held one out to her.

"Raw?" She asked like I was stunted.

I just rolled my eyes. "Try it."

She picked it up gingerly and put it in her mouth. Alice looked on anxiously, like the pepper might be deadly.

Rose smiled and looked at me. "That's good. And not blazing hot."

"Of course, not." I answered.

She then tried a red one. When she picked up a green one, I didn't have time to warn her. "Jesus Christ! It's burning my mouth." She said as she downed her glass of wine.

"Why did you eat a green one?" I asked, as I handed her my glass.

"I didn't think the green would be the hottest of the three, Bella!" She snapped and started on Alice's glass. Alice was sitting on the countertop next to the microwave, laughing hysterically. "Oh shut up!" She snapped at her.

When all the commotion died down, we spent the next hour, drinking wine, eating Fajitas and playing the Twilight Scene it game, which we had brought down from the attic. When we were ready for bed, we cleaned everything up and put it away and Alice gathered up the game. Rose and I held the ladder for her.

"I still don't understand why I have to go up here." She muttered.

"You're the smallest." Rose and I said in unison. We often used that against her. When she was by the hatch, she must have misjudged where the opening was, because she bumped her head on the ceiling.

"Shit." She muttered and that was enough to set us off. We were gasping for air. "Hold the ladder!" She shouted at us.

When we calmed down, we said our goodnights and headed off to bed. At 3:15am, like clockwork, the giggles started.

"Jasper, wait until we're inside!" One girl laughed, followed by deep chuckle.

Like usual, they seemed to take their time getting in the house. I groaned and got out of bed and stormed to Alice's room. She had her head tightly under her pillow.

I pulled it off. "I can't take this anymore." I told her through my teeth.

"What am I supposed to do?" She snapped at me.

That's when the door slammed open and I could have sworn I could see a dent in the wall from where the door handle had smashed into it.

"Alice." A very pissed off Rosalie growled.

Alice jumped out of bed and ran away from Rose when she started chasing her around the room, swinging her pillow at her.

"You two were telling me how much you loved the place yesterday!" She pointed out.

"Yes, I love it up until 3:15 in the morning!" Rose shouted.

We all just stood there quietly for a second, breathless and angry. Then we heard the laughter. Rosalie screamed so loudly, we had to cover our ears.

"Rosalie!" I scolded her.

"Bella, this can't go on any longer. I can't take it. I need sleep and I know that not only will I have to suffer through their stupid giggles, in a minute, I'll have to hear them screaming some guy's names!"

She ranted and I had an idea. I smiled and they looked nervous.

"What's that look I see in your eyes?" Alice asked nervously.

"Well, I think the guys could use a night off." I said with innocence.

**EPOV **

It had been over a week since I had seen her, the girl with the brown eyes and chestnut hair. I had spent all night waiting to see if I would see her. We all went home alone, thinking of the girls from the Gym.

We tried looking for them the next day, but Anna from the front desk told us that the sorority girls had checked out that morning, and there were no other girls around her age staying here. I was disappointed to say the least, but hey, you win some, you lose some. And I'd definitely lost. I decided to forget about her and carry on as normal.

We went to the Gym the next day and when we came home, there was a note on our front door.  
Jasper pulled it off the door and read it aloud. "Hey, Morons! We want sleep, so either keep it down, or we'll get the Janitor to turn your electricity off. Sincerely, your three, exhausted neighbors."

He looked at us confused.

"Why did they call us Morons?" Emmett asked offended.

I just shrugged. "I'm guessing the next door neighbors aren't that nice." I muttered and went in the house. Our electricity never did get turned off. All talk and no action.

We were having a good night. Three girls were staying over for the night and they were free and single...Amy, Amber, and Cassie. Even if my life depended on it, I wouldn't be able to tell you which was which. It was around three when we were stumbling home, the girls were laughing; especially the one Jasper was with. He actually smacked her ass, which was unlike him, but we were all kind of tipsy.

"Jasper, wait until we're inside!" She giggled. Jasper laughed and Emmett applauded him. We heard a door slam, but thought nothing of it.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Hi, guys! Here is chapter 4... Again. This was one of my favourite chapters and I'm so excited to see it all pimped out! Please review and let me know what you think of the story or even the changes!**

**EPOV **

The girls seemed to be giggling about nothing at all, when we heard a scream. We looked to the cabin next to ours, but there was nothing after that and we just shrugged. We were about to head inside when the blonde girl turned to me.

"Now, Edward, I hope you don't do this with all the girls?" She said with a smile.

Okay, we're assholes, we lie and scam, but we're young and free, so don't judge us. "Of course, not! You girls are special." I said with a smile, which I knew would get her to trust me.

She softened up. And that's when it started.

"Huh, don't believe him, Sweetie!" We heard from the cabin next to ours.

We walked to the bottom of our porch and looked up at where the noise seemed to be coming from. It was dark, so we couldn't see anything.

"Yeah, they do this every night!" Another, higher voice shouted.

The girls looked at us with questioning looks.

"Do you?" The one with black curly hair asked.

"Of course not. We don't know what they're talking about. Come on, you know we wouldn't do that to you. You're special." Emmett said, running his hand down her shoulder.

"Ha! Special my ass! Don't do it, honey. Every night they're back here with a different girl. Telling them just how special they are." Another voice shouted. I had to admit, her voice was beautiful. It was actually quite soft in spite of its harsh words.

"How do they know this?" Emmett asked irritated, to me and Jasper.

The red head glared at us. "So it's true? You do this every night?"

"Of course they do!" The first voice shouted again. "Every night it's 'Baby, you know, we never really do this, but you're special." She tried to mimic us.

"And then after the stupid giggles die out, we get 'Oh Jasper!" One of the girls up there moaned loudly.

"Emmett, just like that!" Another moaned loudly. It was actually quite a turn on, the way they moaned.

"Oh, Eddie, you're the best ever!" When the guys looked at me I gave them a smug grin.

"And before you look all smug about it, do you want to know his answer? 'Don't call me Eddie!" The third voice shouted again and started laughing, it was a beautiful sound. Shake it off, Edward.

"How do they know your names?" The red demanded.

"We have heard that every single night. Sorry, but you're not special, you're a one night thing. I'm guessing you're leaving within the next 24 hours. Just like all the others."

The girls glared at us.

"Dude, how do they know all this?" Emmett demanded.

"Girls, I suggest you go back to your room, get some room service, and charge it to those three." One of the evil ones shouted.

"Thank you! We'll be doing just that!" The blonde shouted.

Then, like triplets, they all walked up to us and slapped us around the face. I got the red head, Jasper got the blonde and Emmett got the black haired one. The laughter coming from next door was loud. You could actually hear them gasping for air.

The girls left and we were pissed off. Emmett walked in front of their cabin, trying to get a better view of the dark window.

"What the hell?!" He bellowed at them

"Oh, shut up, sex boy. Go to sleep, or I swear to God, we will do this every single night."

"We'll tell them all about your little game." One continued.

"And you'll never have sex again." The third finished.

We all looked at each other, and knew they were serious. Emmett walked off to our cabin in a huff and was slamming about. Jasper glared at their cabin and walked off, but I decided to have a little fun.

"You know, I really am the best ever!" I shouted to them.

"Yeah right, Eddie. Go to sleep!" Was the only response I received.

I smiled and went inside. I was as pissed off as the others, but I didn't see any point in arguing now. I went to bed and dreamed of the girl with the chestnut hair and brown eyes, like I had every night since I had seen her.

**BPOV**

I looked at the girls, who were very, very pleased with themselves. "Mission accomplished. I'll see you ladies in the morning, when the second part of our plan will come into action." I smiled at them.

"What second part?" Alice asked.

Rosalie smirked. "Well, maybe it's time the boys knew what it feels like to be woken up."

Alice smiled and climbed into bed. "I think I'm going to like this plan."

"Me too," I said as I made my way back to my room, and settled into finally get some sleep.

We were up at 6:00am, ready for part 2. Alice clapped her hands when Rose brought out Britney Spears.

"Britney, Isn't that a little harsh?" I asked with a laugh.

"Exactly," she grinned evilly as she pressed play.

**EPOV **

I was awoken by the sound of music blaring. I groaned and rolled over to turn off the alarm clock. I was slamming my hand down on the top again and again, but it kept blaring. "Dammit!" I shouted and sat up. It then dawned upon me that the noise wasn't coming from my alarm. I stormed downstairs, just in my flannel pajama bottoms and found the guys in the living room.

Jazz was sitting with two pillows held over his ears, whilst Em was playing with the CD player.

"What the hell is going on?" I demanded. "It's...6:00am!" I said after a quick glance at the clock.  
"I'm guessing the Witches of Eastwick are getting some revenge!" Jasper yelled.

"What are you doing?" I asked Emmett.

"Two can play at this game. It's on!" He said like a true jock, pumping his fist in the air. His 50 Cent album came on, drowning out the music. I sat next to Jasper on the couch.

"I think I preferred their music." He told me. I just nodded tiredly.

Emmett folded his arms across his chest in triumph. Suddenly, their music got louder. Jasper just chuckled and shook his head. Emmett went back to the CD player and turned it up full blast. The music went off next door and we cheered.

"I showed them!" Emmett grinned and turned down the music. "That will teach the witches to mess with us."

I just grinned at him. I was actually a little disappointed, they gave up rather early.

**BPOV **

They turned their music off, and Rose came back down the stairs with speakers and dumped them on the couch.  
"Place these at every window, and then open them." She ordered.

"Should we be doing this? It's early and everyone could still be asleep." Alice bit her nails nervously.

Rose waved her off with her hand. "We warned everyone what we would do, and they all said they were tired of it, too."  
"Come on then." I said as I gathered up a speaker.

**EPOV **

Jasper brought over a pot of coffee to the table, and slammed it down so that Emmett would wake up. "I think you deserve a pat on the back, Emmett." He said with a grin.

"I do, don't I?" Emmett said, taking a big drink of coffee.

"Hell yeah! I mean, I don't think these girls know who they're dealing with, but Emmett won't be beaten." I said with a smirk.

I was about take a drink when table started vibrating and music, louder than anything before, started.

_'Holy cow, I think I got one here.  
Now just what am I supposed to do?  
I got a number of irrational fears.  
That I'd like to share with you.  
First there's rules about old goat's like me.  
Hanging round with chick's like you.  
But I do like you and another one.  
You say like too much, but I'm shaking at your touch.' _

"What the hell?!" Emmett yelled, covering his ears. I noticed Jasper was quite content to sit there with the music bursting his ear drums.

"What are you smiling about?" I snapped at him.

"Weezer," he answered.

Now that I thought about it, I did recognize the band. Jasper loved them, and by living with him, I'd become hooked on them myself. It was _Falling For You_, my personal favorite.

"Oh god, it's that crap." Emmett bellowed. He had never liked them. He got up and walked outside. He came running back in. "You have got to see this!"

Jasper shrugged and we headed outside.

"Jesus." Jasper murmured.

Looking at every window, there was a speaker, blasting out Weezer. I don't know how they did it, but you had to give it to them.

**BPOV**

When the song had finished, I pressed pause and the girls took out their ear plugs. I happened to love Weezer, so one of my favorite things was to listen to it so loud my bones rattle.

Alice went to the window and glanced out. "They're going back in. Might I add, they may be asses, but they were shirtless, and my, oh, my!" She said whilst fanning herself for dramatic effect, and skipped over to us at the kitchen table.

"Good." I said and bit into my toast.

"My ears are ringing." Rosalie mumbled as she stuck her finger in her ear.

"It worked, and I wasn't listening to Britney Spears that high." I said whilst I was chewing.

Alice clapped her hands and we looked over at her.

"What?" Rosalie asked warily.

"In celebration of showing the Musketeers that we won't tolerate their ways, why don't we go to New Moon? We've wanted to go since before we got here!"

Rose and I suddenly looked a lot brighter. A night out dancing was just what we needed.

"One problem," Rose said solemnly. We looked at her confused and then she grinned. "What are we going to wear?"

We just started squealing excitedly, like the girls we are.

New Moon was amazing! We walked in, the music was pumping and the atmosphere was electric. The bar was on the east wall and there was a stage on the north wall. I saw a spiral staircase that led upstairs where there were more tables and seating areas.

"I'll go get the drinks, you two go get a table." I told the girls.

"Cherry-tini's!" Alice called out as she and Rose headed up the staircase.

I smiled and walked through the crowd to the bar. I ordered three Cherry-tini's from the bar, and on my way up, I saw that tonight was open mic night. I ran back down the stairs and went over to the DJ.

"Hi!" I shouted out.

He was cute with dark brown eyes and a big smile. He leaned forward, towards me. "Hey, Cutie! What's up?" He asked with a wink.

I smiled and rolled my eyes, which only caused him to laugh. "Open mic, can I sign up?" I asked excitedly.

He laughed. "Cutie, open mic's wide open. No one ever wants to take part."

"Well, I do. What music do you have?" I asked whilst clapping my hands, a trait I had picked from Alice.

He smiled and handed me a folder. "Here Cutie, you take a look in there and I'll play it for you. What's your name?" He asked.

"Bella, yours?" I asked him.

"Matt." He offered his hand; my hand was tiny in his.

"Thanks Matt." I said and looked through the folder. I squealed when I found the perfect song. Jackson.  
I showed Matt, but it was a duet. I needed a partner. I ran up the stairs and found the girl's, they looked worried.

"Where have you been? We were worried." Rosalie scolded me.

"Open mic!" I said when I sat down. They both shook their heads.

"Nope, I'm not doing open mic, Bella." Alice shook her head.

"Please?" I begged them. They just shook their heads again and I pouted.

"Come on, Little Miss Pouty. Let's go dance."

I sighed, stood up and followed them down the stairs. We danced to the music, it was pretty good. I saw Matt look at me questioningly and I shrugged my shoulders sadly. He smiled warmly at me.

"You girl's want another drink?" I asked and laughed when one guy stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Alice and Rose still grinding against each other. They shook their heads and I made my way through the crowd. I sat down on a stool and waited to get served. A big man, all muscles, and brown hair that reminded me of a bear, was too busy flirting with a group of girls in the corner. I sighed and played with a coaster on the bar.

"Why so sad?" A voice drawled.

I looked up and saw a very hot bartender. He had blond hair and blue eyes. He had a southern accent, not too strong, but stronger than mine. I smiled at him. "I want to take part in open mic, but the song I want to sing, is a duet." I explained.

He raised his eyebrows. "Why don't you ask a friend?" He suggested.

Well, duh! I wanted to say. Instead, I decided to be civil. "I asked they're not into it." I shrugged my shoulders. He put his finger underneath my chin when I looked down at the bar. He was cute, but I didn't get that vibe from him.

"You have one of the most heart wrenchingly sad faces I have ever seen." He said with a grin that made me smile. He dropped his hand, and leaned towards me. "What's the song?" He asked.

"Jackson." I told him, images filled my head of when I had first heard that song. Renee was dating a farmer and he said I needed to know good music. He loved Johnny Cash. Whilst his relationship with my mother didn't last, my love for the music he introduced me to had.

His eyes lit up. "I knew you were a southern girl. Your accents not that strong, but it's there."

I laughed at him. "You can take the girl out of the country, and all." I finished with a wave of my hand.

He smiled. "Tell you what. I have a break in a few minutes and I just happen to love Johnny Cash..." He trailed off, his blue eyes sparkled.

My eyes lit up and he laughed. "Really?" I asked.

He nodded his head and I grabbed him over the bar and hugged him. He just laughed into my hair. "So that's what it takes to get a girl to hug me?"

I looked at him and kissed his cheek. "Yep," I said as I hopped off the bar.

When caught I Matt's gaze I smiled brightly and he got it. He was a really good guy. When I looked back to the blond bartender, I saw him in a trance. When I followed his gaze, I saw he was looking directly at Alice. I laughed at him and he broke out of it.

"Her name's Alice." I said with a smirk.

He looked at me. "What?" He asked, obviously not having heard a word I'd said.

"That little one with the black spiky hair, and silver dress, her name's Alice."

He actually looked flustered. "I, I don't know what you're talking about."

I put my hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. She has that effect on a lot of people."

He looked worried. "Does she have a boyfriend?"

I shook my head and he smiled. "I saw her a while ago, but I thought she left."

"Well, she's here, she's single, and she has a thing for blond hair and blue eyes." I said with a wink.

He laughed. "Go tell Matt and I'll meet you up there."

I squealed and ran over to Matt.

"So, what's happening, Cutie?" He asked.

"It's on." I said confidently.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N Hey super cool party people! Gilmore Girls, incase you're wondering. I can not thank you, momma2fan. You are such a rock star! Please review, it makes me smile.**

**EPOV**

It was pretty busy tonight, like every Friday night. Also, it was Open Mic Night; although no one ever actually participated. I was on my break and went over to talk to Matt. He's the new DJ, and an alright guy. I walked over with a bottle of water and handed it to him.

"Hey, Edward. What you doing over here?" He asked.

I sat down behind him, it was dark there and peaceful, despite the pounding music.

"On my break, Jazz is off in a minute, so I thought I'd get some peace while I could." I noticed he kept glancing around. "What you looking for?" I asked. "Or should I say who?" I amended with a smirk.

He just laughed. "No, there was this girl interested in taking part in the open mic night. She went to ask her friends, but it looks like they're not so into it. You would have liked her." He said with a grin.

"Open mic? No one is ever interested in that. I think we should just scrap it."

He shook his head. "Trust me, if you'd seen that excited look on her face, you'd change your tune." He said with a smile. "Oh, she's at the bar. Look, I told you you'd like her."

I sighed and got up and my heart slammed in my chest with what I saw. It was the girl from the Gym. I thought she'd left. I had dreamt about her every night, and when I wasn't sleeping, I was day dreaming about her. She was sitting at the bar in a white baby doll dress that made her look like an angel sent down from above to reward the worthy.

"Dude, you okay?" Matt asked me with concern.

"I saw that girl about a week ago, I thought she'd left." I murmured absently.

He laughed. "What? Another girl you slept with and hoped she'd be gone by morning?"

I ignored his teasing. "No. I saw her in the Gym. I looked for her the next day, but I thought she'd gone home."

"Wow, someone's got it bad." He snickered. "And it looks like she's already taken." He said with a smug ass smile.

I looked and saw Jasper walk up and talk to her. She looked up at him and I could just imagine what he was seeing…big brown eyes. I winced when she smiled at him and answered whatever question he had asked. I was feeling something I had never felt before; jealously. I was jealous of Jasper because he got to talk to her, hear her voice, which I knew would be beautiful, and see those brown eyes light up. I was suddenly very enraged at the thought and it shocked me. I watched as she said something and shrugged her shoulders, looking down at the bar and I was furious when he put his finger under her chin and lifted her face up to look at him.

He said something with a grin, which made her smile and made me want to punch him. Jasper leaned towards her on the bar and I had to hold on to something to keep myself from running over there, snatching her up, and running off with her. What the hell was wrong with me?! Jasper was one of my best friend's, a brother, and here I was thinking he was some guy from a bad movie, twirling his mustache while he tried to steal some poor girl's virtue.

Jasper's eyes lit up and said something to make her laugh. Oh Jesus, what's wrong with me?  
He said something that made her eyes light up and I imagined what her eyes would look like when she was excited. All thought's and memories of Jasper and I's friendship went out the window, when she grabbed him and hugged him over the bar! I suddenly had a very strong thirst for Jasper's blood.

"You okay, man?" Matt asked and I gave him a fake smile and a nod.

Jasper, my friend, whom I loved like a brother, laughed and asked her something that made her laugh and kiss his cheek. I was going to rip him limb from limb, burn the pieces and enjoy every second of it.  
When she hopped off the stool and smiled brightly at Matt, all my violent plans disappeared, because whatever he had said to her, had made her smile like that.

Matt clapped his hands. "Edward, my friend, we have someone who wants to perform!"

"The girl? I asked.

"Yeah, her name's Bella." Bella...it suit's her.

I noticed that Jasper had suddenly froze, I couldn't see why, but whatever it was, it made the girl, Bella, laugh and smirk at him. Jasper actually looked flustered when he broke out of his trance. She smiled warmly and put her tiny hand on his shoulder and my stomach tightened. She then shook her head and after that, she winked at him!

I couldn't take it anymore. She liked Jasper that much was obvious. I walked over to the bar and saw her squeal and rush over to Matt. Great, I leave and she goes straight to Matt.

Jasper was laughing as he wiped down the bar.

"What's so funny?" I asked trying to keep my anger out of my tone. If she wanted Jasper, then she deserved to get whatever she wanted. Again, where the hell was this all coming from?!

Jasper smirked at me. "I, my friend, am taking part in Open Mic Night." He laughed and shook his head as he made his way to the stage, and to Bella.

I was serving a young woman, who was flirting outrageously, but all I could do was glance every two seconds up at the stage, looking for her…Bella. I couldn't believe I'd been such an idiot. Why hadn't I scoured every inch of the place instead of assuming she'd left. You know what they say about people who assume?

When the music lowered and Matt's voice boomed to the audience, I forgot all about the woman I was currently serving, and turned towards the stage where Jasper and Bella stood in front of the mic's. Bella looked to be almost vibrating in excitement. Jasper grinned at her, while his eyes scanned the crowd. I watched as Bella leaned into him and whispered something in his ear. I couldn't help that annoying flare of jealousy when he laughed.

"Hi guy's, tonight something amazing has happened," Matt began. "In my six months of working here, not one person has ever taken part in Open Mic Night. Well, tonight, that all changed when a beautiful young woman came running up to me and signed up. Please give a hand for Bella!"

The crowd went wild, screaming her name and applauding. The loudest, I noticed were the two women up front. They were the women Bella had been with at the Gym. That's when I happily noticed the look Jasper was giving the oblivious, dark haired girl in front. Thank god, I thought in relief.

"Give it up for Johnny Cash and June Carter!"

The crowd went wild again as the opening music to 'Jackson' blared through the bar. And then they began singing. Even I had to admit, they were good. They sang and flirted, Bella rolling her eyes at the arrogant lyrics that Jasper was singing. She even fanned herself dramatically at the end of her solo. Her voice was sweet and playful and absolutely beautiful. I also reluctantly had to admit that they looked good together, and then had to force the thought out of my head.

Sooner than I would have liked the song was over and after sharing a brief hug and a bow for the audience, they jumped off the stage, Jasper began to walk back over to the bar, casting glances over his shoulder ever few seconds to where Bella was now standing in the arms of the women I had seen her with at the gym.

"Hey, Johnny," Emmett teased.

Jasper just nodded his head, with a small grin on his face, and returned behind the bar which most of the female customers had swarmed around. I looked up to where Bella had been and noted with disappointment that she had disappeared. Not wanting to lose her again, I shouted a lame excuse to the guys and went into the crowd looking for her. Ten minutes later I returned with a scowl on my face.

"Where you been?" Emmett demanded.

"Nowhere."

**BPOV **

The girls and I returned to the cabin giggling all the way. I was so hyped! I loved Open Mic Night and though I would admit I didn't have the best voice, I just loved to sing.

"So, Ali, Johnny kept giving you the eye with those baby blues of his." Rosalie giggled as she threw her purse onto the couch.

Alice rolled her eyes and dropped onto the couch. "He was singing onstage with Bella, dumbass." She scoffed, but I could the disappointment in her eyes.

"Alice, I'm not interested in him."

"You're not?" She asked dubiously.

"I'm not. I actually, kind of..." I trailed off uncomfortably.

"Are you holding out on us?" Rosalie demanded.

"What? No. It's just, well, you know that guy from the gym, the one who was staring at us?"

"Yeah," They answered in unison.

"I can't stop thinking about him. The one with bronze hair and those eyes…" I trailed off picturing him. I couldn't understand why I found myself thinking about him, all the time. It scared the crap out of me. I wasn't in a position where I could be obsessing over a guy. Especially, when that guy made my heart race.

After gushing about mine and Johnny performance, Alice admitted that Johnny, as we had named him, had been one of the guys at the gym.

I tried to conceal my excitement, but as I lay awake in bed later, I couldn't help but wonder whether I'd be a complete psycho stalker if I tracked down Johnny, so I could find out just a little more about Hot Green Eyes, as Alice and Rosalie had named him.

I sighed as I stretched out, the sunlight flowing in through the lace curtains. I was completely blissful, until I glanced at my alarm clock. "Oh, shit!" I groaned as I jumped up out of bed. It was eleven in the morning, and we had our first of the day at noon. I raced into the hall, banging on Alice and Rosalie's bedroom doors. "We're late! Get your asses up and in the shower!"

I heard them both cursing and rushing into their bathrooms as I ran into my room and stripped. I had just washed the conditioner out of my hair when the water turned ice cold.

"ARGH!" I screamed and jumped back, slipping and having to grab on to dear life to avoid falling and cracking my skull open. I heard two answering screams and grabbed myself a towel and exited my bathroom and went out into the hall, where Rosalie and Alice were fuming, both drenched and wrapped into towels

"Alice." Rosalie and I growled in unison.

"Okay, I lied when Rose asked me about the plumbing, Trudy warned me that it could happen." She explained, her teeth chattering.

I was furious, I'd had had enough of the dumbass' next door effecting our lives and by the looks in Alice and Rosalie's eyes, they felt the same. We all stalked down the stairs and out of the cabin, completely unaware of the fact that we were only wearing towels. We didn't even bother knocking. We just walked straight in and walked upstairs. The cabin had exactly the same layout as ours, so we could find our way around easily. I could hear someone singing obnoxiously loud to 50 Cent's _Candy shop_, and heard water running, proving our theory on why we had been given ice shower's this morning.

Alice headed into one room and I headed into the other, going straight for the bathroom. The bathroom was just as small as mine, painted a navy blue with white accessories. It was nice I admitted, and then stormed over to the shower ready to go for the throat.

**EPOV**

The guys and I had woken up around eleven, earlier than usual, but we all had the same idea in mind, we wanted to track down the girls from the gym and the bar. So, we had gotten up and headed straight into the shower. I stood there, letting the hot water pour over my body, picturing the girl. I still couldn't quite believe she was here, that she had been here since the day I had seen her and I'd been wasting time. I still dreamt about her and now I couldn't wait to see if the reality was anything like the fantasy.  
Suddenly, the shower curtain was yanked open.

"What the hell!" I shouted as I turned; thinking it would be Jasper or Emmett standing there, ready to put my naked ass on YouTube.

What I didn't expect was to see the girl I was just fantasizing about - and since I had clapped eyes on her - standing there soaking wet and with only a white towel wrapped around her curvaceous body. I briefly wondered if I had hit my head and had passed out, but then she spoke.

"You…out!" She ordered.

"What?" I asked, dumfounded.

She rolled her eyes in impatience. "I said, GET YOUR ASS OUT OF THE SHOWER!" She shouted at me and stormed out.

In a haze of confusion, I did as she asked. Well, not so much as asked, as barked it at me. I grabbed my towel, quickly drying off my body and grabbed some jeans, pulling them on as I left my room. I walked downstairs to find Jasper and Emmett wearing pretty much the same thing, except Jasper had pulled on a t-shirt. He was raised by a strong southern woman, who believed in treating ladies with respect. Not that he treated every woman that way, but the one that he had been looking at all- night at the bar was here. I zipped up my jeans, but didn't bother with the button, eager to go and see what the hell was going on.

There they were…all three of the girls from the gym, in towels, completely soaked and so furious I thought the steam coming out of their ears should dry them off.

"Are you three crazy!?" Emmett demanded, never being one for diplomacy.

"We're sick of it." They snapped in unison.

"Of what?" Jasper asked carefully. He probably thought they were crazy and didn't want to anger them anymore than they already were.

"Of you!" The blonde one snapped.

"Wait, we don't even know you." I argued.

"Oh, but we KNOW you." The tiny one sneered at him.

It suddenly clicked. "You're the Witches of Eastwick." I said, more to myself than to them.

They turned their death rays on me. "And you're the Three Musketeers."

"Wait, you live next door?!" Emmett demanded. "You're the ones who warned off those chicks the other night, threatened to have our electricity turned off and then woke us up at the crack of dawn with that crappy ass music Jazz likes?"

"Hey! Do not mess with Weezer." The girl I couldn't stop thinking about spat acidly at Emmett. She then looked at Jasper. "Your one of them?" She asked in horror.

He smiled warmly. "Yes ma'am." He said and nodded his head like a good southern gentlemen.

The tiny sighed in disappointment and her tiny shoulders dropped.

Without seeming to know what they were doing, the other two stepped closer to her.

"I'm Jasper, this is Emmett and Edward." Jasper introduced us, pointing to each of us as he said our names.

"I'm Bella, this is Rosalie and Alice." She introduced, seemingly less angry now she had spoken to Jasper She had a slight southern drawl to her voice that I found as sexy as hell.

"I still can't believe you're the chicks who chased off the chicks from the bar the other night. I liked that girl."

"Call us chicks one more time." Bella threatened.

"I'll give you a thousand dollars if you can tell me her name. Or better yet, her hair colour." The one named Rosalie challenged. Emmett's face was the definition of concentration. "That's what I thought." She said smugly, not bothering to hide her disgust.

"Hey, don't judge us." I snapped. We didn't know them, they had no right and besides, even if I didn't want to admit it to myself, I didn't want Bella to think badly of me.

"Hey, EDDIE," She sneered the nickname I loathed, "when you're keeping us up at night, we have every right and don't stand there looking all offended and self-righteous. We have heard the same thing every night since we got here. You three are disgusting." She said in disdain.

I flinched. So, she did think badly of me. Not only that, she was disgusted with us…with me.

It was Alice who spoke next, avoiding looking at Jasper, I noticed.

"Look, you stay out of the shower, okay? You will come around and check if we are currently using them, if we're not, then you may feel free. Now, we are running late as is it. We have to go."

With that, they turned around and left, leaving the three of us to stare after them as they walked barefoot out in the sun…backs straight, head up, not in any way embarrassed at their attire.

**BPOV**

"Oh, my god!" We said in unison as we entered our cabin.

"I can't believe that the guy I saw last night, the one who I thought I could really love, is such a disgusting pig!" Alice burst out as she closed the door.

Rosalie and I looked at one another, before we'd gone to bed last night, Alice had admitted to her own crush; a guy with the honey blond hair and blue eyes. Alice was a born romantic and no matter how many times a man disappointed her, she never let herself become jaded and cynical. Within a month, if she got that feeling around a guy, she would offer him her heart and soul. Knowing that he turned out to be one of the morons from next door had hit her hard.

"I know. The one named Edward was the guy from the gym, remember?" I reminded them.  
I was disappointed too. I had built up this entire persona for Hot Green Eyes without even knowing I had, and he turned out to be Eddie…one of the three banes of my existence.

"Well, now we know why they were looking. They probably thought that we were next on the hit list." Rosalie scowled and then glanced at the clock.

"Crap! I completely forgot about work!" She squealed.

We all raced upstairs, grabbing some clothes, trying to dress and blow dry our hair at the same time.  
By the time we arrived, we were only a few minutes late, after Rosalie had driven like a bat out of hell to get there.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Hi wonderful people! It turns out the lovely woman who has to sort through all of my mistakes everyday has made it happen so you can find this story on a website. It's .com and im under the babybells category so please check it out it should be up tomorrow! **

**Thank you Liz!**

**BPOV **

I tried to put thoughts of Edward and disappointment to the back of my mind. I couldn't explain why I was so affected, and when I asked the girls, they would agree. I decided to brush it off and think of it just as disappointment about who I had imagined he was. That night we went home after a long day of classes and apologizing when each class would start a few minutes late, ate, and crashed for the night in the living room, all of us too tired to move, just dragging off our jeans, luckily having girl boxers on underneath, it's difficult to dance and sweat all day in thongs and French lingerie. We didn't hear a peep out of their next door neighbors.

Rosalie, Alice and I were awoken by a loud banging.

"Are we having an earthquake?" Alice mumbled.

"No, it's the front door." Rosalie groaned and attempted to get up.

It was incredibly difficult due to the fact that we were all asleep on the same couch; we were a tangle of arms and legs. The three of us made our way to the front door.

"It's not even light out yet. Someone better had died." I complained groggily, Rosalie and Alice nodded their heads sleepily in agreement.

Rosalie pulled the door opened and huffed when we saw the evil ones on the other side. There stood Edward, Emmett and Jasper, all looking way too cheerful.

"What do you want?" Alice asked with a dead panned expression.

Emmett grinned. "We're taking you girls out. Go get dressed and we'll wait here for you." He told us like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Hell no!" Rosalie objected, becoming more coherent.

"Come on...!" Emmett whined like a three year old, pouting and trying to show off his baby blues.

None of us were impressed and when Rosalie and Alice looked at me and our eyes locked, we silently agreed on our next course of action. I slammed the door in their faces and the three of us turned and walked away.

When banging started on the door again Rosalie and Alice growled, wanting to go back to sleep. I, however, had decided to play my IPod until I fell back to sleep. Drift off to Dream by Travis Tritt always sent me to sleep. I had been using that for years, ever since I had gone on YouTube and was talking to a guy about censoring songs and had mentioned I needed a good lullaby. He had sent me my current choice and I had used it ever since. I had made it half way up the stairs when Alice had given up and yanked the door open.

"What is wrong with you?!" She demanded.

They smirked. "We want to take you out this morning. Come on, were trying to make things up to you.

"You could try by shutting your yaps at night and not waking us up before dawn!" Rosalie snapped.

They frowned slightly, obviously realizing that waking up three women, who already hated you, wasn't the brightest idea.

Jasper put on his most charming smile, making Alice soften and Rosalie and I roll our eyes. "Please, ladies. We would really like the chance to make things up to you." He drawled, strengthening his southern accent.

"Oh, okay." Alice agreed with a smile.

"What?!" Rosalie and I demanded, wondering if she was crazy or just plain stupid.

"Well, it couldn't hurt and I would prefer it if we all got along." She turned her big blue eyes towards us, silently pleading with us to agree.

"See, at least one of you is reasonable." Edward smirked.

"Alice," I said striving to stay calm, "I would prefer it if Robert Pattinson returned our letters, but he never does!"

We sighed in unison, picturing a shirtless Robert Pattinson, our personal choice of attire for him, or in this case, lack thereof.

"Please, guys." Alice pleaded, after she came out of her Robert Pattinson induced trance.

Rosalie and I looked at each other and gave in with a frustrated groan, making Alice clap with delight.

"Well take that as a yes?" Emmett smirked.

"Yes. Give us some time to get dressed and well meet you over at your place." Alice answered, becoming more excited with the idea of spending time with Jasper and the guys.

"Okay, we'll be waiting." Emmett told us, trying to sound seductive I assumed, and turned around went to head up the stairs.

"Oh, and Bella?" Emmett called.

"What?" I snapped as I turned around.

He smirked. "Nice ass." He complimented me with a wink.

I complimented him with my middle finger, and headed back up the stairs, too tired and pissed off to be humiliated.

Alice wasn't and she screamed when she realized she was standing there in a t-shirt and her underwear. She slammed the door in their faces and ran up the stairs shouting "Oh my God, I can't believe he saw me in my underwear!" Rosalie and I burst out laughing. "Shut up!" She screamed back, which only caused us to laugh harder.

"This is your idea of making it up to us?" Rosalie asked in disbelief as she stood by the lake.

"Yes. We thought you might enjoy it." Jasper answered her, in no way put off by our horrified faces.

We had met them, as promised. Alice was the only one making polite conversation with the men, as Rosalie attempted to sleep and walk at the same time, and I listened to my IPod. They had taken us to the lake where three small wooden boats, just big enough for four people, where tied to the dock.

We didn't want any part in any of it. We hadn't even had our morning coffee yet and they expected us to start rowing in boats that didn't look like they could survive in a bath, never mind a huge lake.

"Why three?" I asked in a zombie like tone, I just wanted to go back to sleep.

"We thought that one of us would each take one of you, so we could get to know you better." Emmett said with a smile that would melt most women. Well, not these women.

"No. The three of us will go in one and you guys can do whatever the hell you like." Alice told them, waving her hand between the three of them. She may want to spend time with Jasper, but she was still disappointed that he had turned out to be such a womanizer.

I looked at Jasper and saw the disappointment that he was trying to hide. I liked him, even if he was a Musketeer; he was good friend material, just not good, one of my best friends' boyfriend, material. Which was a shame, I thought, because they seemed perfect for each other. If only he could start thinking with his head and not his crotch, that is.

I made immediate plans to talk to Jasper and see what he thought about Alice, and if he liked her, threaten to cut off his testicles if he ever used his 'Special' line on her.

"I don't think that's wise, I mean, you girls could really get hurt." Emmett said with concern, which only pissed us off more because he made such an assumption. And everyone knows what assume really means.

Rosalie obviously thought the same. "You just try and keep your piece of crap a float, Casanova, and we'll be just fine." She snapped.

What the guys didn't know was that Rosalie's father owned several boats and she had been around them all her life. If she can handle speedboats and yachts, she could handle this hunk of junk. I couldn't help but laugh as the guys watched with a dumbfounded expression as Rosalie pushed them into water, rowing like a pro. That was the thing with guys; they saw Rosalie's big breasts and blonde hair and immediately thought she was an airhead. When really she was one of the smartest people I knew.

Alice and I laughed as we heard Rosalie mumbling to herself, "Prejudiced, sexist, morons, I'll show them, I'll ram the thing right up their asses. Who do they think we are? The dimwits they usually sleep with? Get hurt my ass!"

**EPOV **

I watched from the boat Jasper, Emmett, and I were currently in as the girls chatted to themselves, laughing. It had been Emmett's idea to take them out to the lake, in a vain hope to talk to them, and yeah, show off some muscles. They hadn't been too pleased to see us and man, when I realized what Bella was wearing, my heart wouldn't slow down and I had broken out into a sweat. I wanted to kill Emmett when he said that about her ass, though I had to agree and loved it when she had flipped him off.

The sun was rising now, making the lake look almost magical and I wanted so much to be in a boat with Bella instead of these morons, who were now sulking to themselves...just like I was. Emmett was watching Rosalie and Jasper was staring Alice, and I knew them well enough to know they were interested in more than a one night with them. I knew that scared them, we had never been this interested in girls before, usually, girls threw themselves at us, so it was more of picking who we wanted for the night. I was afraid of what I felt around her. Of why, after the way I was with girls, I wanted to impress her so much. Scared of why I wanted to get to know her. I had avoided relationships for another reason altogether.

When I was younger my dad, Edward Masen Sr., was forever cheating on my mom, Elizabeth Masen. Not only would he cheat, but he would make it so my mother felt it was her fault. Then he would play all kinds of mind games, saying he would be home, and then showing up a month later, you know…the usual. I had watched her cry night after night, feeling useless and angry. Then my father disappeared for over a year when I started high school. Only to phone one day saying he wanted contact with me. I regretted letting my father back into my life, it had only led to more disappointment and hurt and anger and feeling that maybe I wasn't a good son.

My mother had eventually gotten over him, and was now the mother I remembered her once to be. But it had nearly destroyed her and I had promised myself, that no woman would ever have that kind of power over me.

I wasn't a coward. Yes, I was afraid, but I wasn't an idiot either. I wasn't going to run because what I felt scared me, if anything, it made me want to find out more, and be around her more. Which also confused the hell out of me.

I watched as the sun rose behind the girls, making them look like laughing angels. I mainly watched Bella. Right now, she was leaning forward and laughing so hard I wondered if she was breathing. The sun gave her dark hair, chestnut highlights and made her skin look luminous.

Suddenly, Alice screamed and jumped up, grabbing on to Rosalie as the boat rocked violently, knocking them both off balance, and into the water as Bella gripped the boat laughing.

Emmett must have seen everything and quickly rowed in their direction. I watched Rosalie and Alice glare up at Bella, as she clutched her stomach laughing, and making mine do this strange roll thing that I had never felt before. It felt strange, but good.

"I'm sorry." I heard her apologize through her laughter. "I'm sorry, it's not funny." She sat closer to them and tried to control her laughter. She was unsuccessful.

Alice and Rosalie looked at each other and grinned.

"I bet twenty bucks they'll have a fight now." Emmett betted the guys, but I was paying more attention to what Rosalie and Alice were doing that Emmett was.

"I'm sorry." She tried again, but still couldn't manage to stop laughing when she caught sight of them in the water. "You just look so funny." She tried to explain.

"Oh, really?" They asked and she nodded her head.

What she hadn't noticed is that they had moved closer toward her, and I didn't have time to shout out a warning as they reached out quickly and pulled her overboard and into the water with them.

"Oh, here we go." Jasper said bracing himself for a screaming match as Bella surfaced.

Each girl glared at each other and then...burst out laughing. We looked at each other in confusion. We had seen girls turn on each other just for ALMOST spilling a drink on them. Here were these girls completely drenched in dirty, cold water and they were laughing?

"Huh?" Jasper said in confusion.

"They are the hottest girls I have ever met." Emmett grinned. He liked girls who were laid back, which was probably why he had never been in a relationship. He had always picked shallow, high maintenance girls who had the same IQ as a two year old.

I smiled as I watched them splash water at one another, complaining about the cold water and how it would ruin their clothes, but I noticed they never made an effort to get out. They were just enjoying the moment. As I watched Bella my stomach did that strange roll again, and I knew I was in trouble.

After the girls had dragged themselves back into their boat, we shouted for them to make their way back to the dock, where we fed them breakfast and Jasper gave them the blanket he kept in the car to keep warm. We even got a smile from them when we gave them our warm and dry jackets.

We sat there, drinking hot chocolate, as the girls huddled together trying to get warm. I decided to ask the question that had been playing on my mind. "So, ladies, truce?"

I watched as they glanced at each other, seemingly having a silent conversation. I had seen them do that throughout the entire morning and I had to admit it, I found it cute.

"Why, Eddie, afraid you can't keep up?" Bella grinned at me, and my thoughts went straight to the gutter.

"No." I grinned back. "I'd just like to know that if we needed a cup of sugar, or I don't know, an ambulance, that we could give you a call."

"I guess we could be persuaded to let you borrow a cup of sugar, should you ask nicely," Alice teased.

"Come on, we're trying here."

"Okay." Rosalie answered.

"Okay?" Emmett repeated, "Friends?" He grinned.

"Friends," they answered.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N Hi guys! Here is chapter 7!**

**EPOV **

Over the next week things were going well. The girls were pleasant, and often came into the bar to wind down and would spend most of the night talking to the three of us. Whilst they may be friendly with us, we still knew that they expected us to bring a random woman back at night.

We never did.

In fact we were more determined than ever to gain their trust. Now that we had spent some time together, we were feeling more comfortable with our unreasonable desire for them. Tonight, it was our night off and since we weren't seeing anyone, we were having a 'Guy's night', which was now how most of our nights were spent. It was around midnight and we were just watching a film, my mind elsewhere when I heard loud singing outside.

Emmett raised his eyebrows. "I touch myself." He named the song that we could hear.

Suddenly, loud banging came from the front door and we rushed up to get it. Jasper opened the door, each of us dreading it was some girl's we had fooled around with in the past, here to hope for a repeat performance. Hey, it had happened before. I was shocked at what we saw there.

Bella, Rosalie and Alice completely drunk, singing _I Touch Myself_, by The Divinyls at the top of their lungs. They then burst out laughing.

"Whatcha doing?" Jasper asked carefully.

Alice bounced on the balls of her feet in front of us and started to speak, until she nearly lost her balance. "It's all good." She said lazily, sending all three of them into hysterics.

When the laughter died down, Emmett decided to try again. "So, ladies, what's with the midnight visit?"

They smiled brightly at up at us. "We want to watch a scary movie." They explained in unison, making them laugh again.

"So you came here?" I asked confused.

Bella rolled her eyes and held my face between her hands, sending goose bumps all over me. Wow, even wasted she was beautiful.

"We want to watch a scary movie, but we can't watch it alone." She explained like I was mentally ill then let go of my face.

I felt instantly, and stupidly, bereft from the lack of contact.

"So, you want to watch a movie. Cool, come in." Emmett said, directing them inside. He also seated them separately. He put Bella on one couch, Alice on the other and Rosalie on his recliner. He winked at Jasper and I, telling us exactly what he had done. He had arranged it so each of us could sit by the woman of our desire.  
The girls were so drunk they didn't seem to notice, they were just excited about the film they were finally going to watch. Of course, I sat by Bella, Jasper by Alice, and Emmett crammed himself on the recliner with Rosalie, just grinning when she looked at him suspiciously.

"Keep your hands to yourself." She warned.

_'When A Stranger Calls'_ came on, they all quieted down to watch.

Every time the phone would ring, the girl's would scream and when the heroine of the story found her best friend dead in the bathroom, they all screamed and Bella threw her arms around me and buried her face into my chest. I felt like I was in heaven. She didn't let go for the rest of the movie, squeezing the breath out of me when she was scared, I could feel the bruises forming from her bone crushing hold.

When the film went off, the girls fell asleep on the chairs.

"So, I guess they're crashing with us tonight." Emmett grinned mischievously.

Jasper glared at him. "No. We'll let them take the beds and we're down here." He said sternly.

I agreed. I wasn't going to have Bella think I had taken advantage of her. Even though I would love to spend the night with her in my arms, like she was now.

Emmett sighed. "I know. I know."

We each carried the girls upstairs and placed them in bed, then rushed downstairs, laughing when it was Emmett, the biggest of the three us, who would be spending the night on the recliner.

"Laugh it up." He growled as he pulled a blanket over him.

"Sweet dreams." Jasper teased from the comfy couch.

I fell to sleep with Bella's image in my mind and the memory of knowing what it felt like to hold her.

**BPOV **

I opened my eyes and immediately closed them, when the sun blazed fire in them. I groaned and rolled over onto my stomach, trying to escape the glaring sun.

My head hurt, I felt sick, and I swear I could hear myself blinking. I was obviously hung over. I remembered back to last night, we had decided to give each other make overs and have some wine. Well, we'd definitely had the wine. The last thing I remembered was putting on The Divinyls album.

I sat up carefully and gasped in horror. I wasn't in my room. I was in a king size bed, with navy sheets. The room, was tidy, but still had clutter. Clean clothes piled up on top of the dresser, instead of put in the drawers, two pairs of jeans and a few shirts were scattered on the floor, and on top of the dresser was cologne. Crap.

I looked down at my body and saw I was still wearing the black cocktail dress the girls had put me in last night. We had wanted to feel like they were going out for a night on the town, without actually having to leave the cabin.

I rubbed my gritty eyes and tip toed out of the room, trying to make as little noise as possible. I knew where I was now. If I hadn't been in such a panic a minute ago, I would have realized I had been in the room before. It was Edward's room. Oh, shit!

Suddenly, I was more panicked than I was before. Please, I prayed, please tell me I haven't slept with Edward and can't even remember. I liked Edward, he was actually kind of nice, all the guys were, and we had gotten along great all week. Not that I would have ever dated him. I wouldn't want to have to have the awkward morning after... like I was apparently about to have now. Awesome.

I just about made it to the front door when I heard a husky, amused voice from behind me.

"Sneaking out?" Edward tutted.

I turned around slowly, dreading facing him. He was standing there, leaning his hip against the kitchen door frame, cup of coffee in his hands and a smug smirk on his face.

"No." I lied, which only seemed to make him more amused.

"Come on." He told me as he turned around.

"Where are we going?" I asked warily. I still didn't know why I had woken up in his bed.

He smiled at me, making my heart flutter and his green eyes shine. "Breakfast, of course." He answered smoothly.

I followed him into the kitchen.

"Take a seat." He gestured toward the kitchen table.

I sat down quickly, feeling uncomfortable. "You're not going to give me raw eggs, are you?" I joked, trying to calm myself.

He turned round and on a tray was a glass of orange juice and toast. He placed it in front of me. "That should make you feel better." He took the seat opposite me and started to read the paper in front of him. I ate my toast, trying to work up the nerve to ask if we had slept together. "So you're a Divinyls fan, huh?" He asked casually, not taking his eyes off of the paper.

"Huh?" I asked, utterly confused. He looked at me then, his green eyes dancing with laughter. It clicked then. I remembered me and the girls thinking it would be a wonderful idea to go around to the guys' so they could watch a film…singing _I Touch Myself_. I smiled. "It's kind of our song." I explained sheepishly.

He just nodded and went back to the paper, but I saw him smile.

I decided to just bite the bullet. Rip off the band aid. Cut to the chase. And any other saying that meant; just get it over with. "Did we sleep together?"

Edward had been about to swallow a mouthful of coffee when I asked the question, and nearly choked. He looked at me in shock. "No."

"Good." I sighed in relief and went back to my toast, feeling so much better. I didn't see Edward's reaction to my obvious relief that we hadn't spent the night with each other.

"Where's Jasper and Emmett?" I asked, just realizing that they were nowhere to be found.

"They went to buy an X-Box game they've been after." He explained.

"Oh. Where are Rosalie and Alice?"

"Emmett put Rosalie in his room and Alice is in Jasper's room and don't worry, we spent the night down here." He grinned, knowing I was about to ask where they had slept then.

"Edward. I'm sorry. We shouldn't have come round. It just seemed like a good idea at the time." I smiled sheepishly.

"It's really okay. It was actually quite funny watching Emmett try to sleep in that recliner all night." We laughed and for a moment, I forgot that he was a Musketeer; I forgot what he was like with girls and enjoyed his company.

Emmett and Jasper came bounding in the cabin, bright smiles on their face when they saw me sitting at the kitchen table.

"Hey, Bella! What? No singing this morning?" Emmett teased as he dove into the fridge.

"Well, we only sing on special occasions." I laughed.

"What? Thursday night?" Jasper laughed.

"Hey, we have today free! We're allowed to have some fun." I defended myself.

"Are they up yet?" Jasper asked, pouring himself a coffee, which made me wrinkle my nose when I smelled it. Edward smirked and poured me more juice.

"Thanks and no. Or, at least, I don't think so." I looked at Edward questioningly.

He shook his head. "I checked on the girls about ten minutes before you woke up. They were still dead to the world and Alice was mumbling something about Keanu Reeves." He chuckled.

"Keanu Reeves!" Jasper scoffed. I raised my eyebrows at him. Obviously, Jasper had a case of the green eyed monster. He just looked away quickly. "I'm going to go and see if I can wake her up." He mumbled as he left the room.

"Me too." Emmett quickly followed.

"Wow, we know how to clear a room." Edward grinned.

We fell into a comfortable silence, until we heard two voices suddenly shout out.

"What the hell?" Rosalie shouted.

"Ohmygod!" That was Alice

Edward and I just laughed at the sound of them. I couldn't help it as I watched Edward laugh and wish we could be more than friends, but I knew that we couldn't. Edward saw girls as one night stands and I couldn't trust myself not to care about him.

Then there was Jacob...Yeah, I couldn't let anything happen, even if I wanted to, I finally admitted that to myself.

"Hey, I'm going to get going..." I said as I stood up abruptly.

"What? Aren't you going to wait for the girls?" Edward seemed confused by the change in me.

"Yeah, well, I need a shower and I need to go into town... and stuff." I finished lamely.

"Oh, okay." He looked disappointed, but his expression soon changed, and I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"Okay, I'll see you later." I headed towards the back door. "Oh, Edward?"

"Yeah?" He smiled at me.

"Thanks for breakfast." I smiled and then left. I didn't know why I just rushed out of there. Edward probably wasn't even interested. But, I knew, that didn't stop me being interested. And that was one thing I couldn't do.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N When it rains it pours, huh? Please review!**

**EPOV **

It had been a week since Bella and the girls had spent the night at our cabin, since Bella had left abruptly the next morning. I had enjoyed that morning so much, talking to her over breakfast and, well since I already sound like a chick, just being with her. She was smart and funny and sexy as hell and better than any fantasy I could have imagined. So, why had they all been avoiding us ever since?

They no longer came into the bar, they hadn't returned to our cabin, and whenever ever we saw them around the hotel they would all but run away from us. It couldn't have been embarrassment; they had all shrugged their drunken actions off by breakfast. So what was it?

Their absence had also been affecting Emmett and Jasper, both of them seemed in their own worlds half the time, and both watched the entrance to the bar when we were at work, just in case they came in one night. It confused and annoyed us.

So, here we were, out of bed before noon on Wednesday, even though we hadn't closed until well after three in the morning, last night. We were pathetic. What was even more pathetic was how fast Emmett ran for the phone when it started to ring and cursing when he didn't reach it in time.

Jasper grinned beside me. "It's nice to know what Emmett would have looked like if he were teenage girl."

"Shut it, Jazz," Emmett snapped as I snickered on the couch.

I was still laughing when I heard her voice.

"Hi, Edward, honey. Just thought I'd ring and let you boys know we were coming down in a couple of days. I know its short notice, but Karen could only get this weekend off from work, so I volunteered to give you boys a call. Don't worry if you're all busy with work, we just want to see you. We all love and miss you. See you soon!"

Silence followed the message. Then we all muttered the same word in unison. "Shit."

**BPOV **

We were sitting in our living room watching the Steve Wilkos show on a lovely, lazy Wednesday afternoon. We didn't have any classes today and decided to just kick back, relax, and watch trashy TV in our pajamas and eat a ton of junk food.

"Who would stay with someone after they raped you, then peed on you, and then tied you to a chair for five hours?" Rosalie demanded, talking about the current guest on the show.

"A stupid one," I answered, putting away the light pink nail polish I had just been using and reaching for the onion rings.

As Steve was trying to convince the woman to leave her abusive boyfriend we sat up and paid attention. She needed to leave the bastard. That's when the knocking started.

"Should we answer?" I asked them, not looking away from the television.

"No," they both mumbled.

The knocking continued, getting louder and louder and pissing us off royally.

"Get the hint and go away!" Alice screamed towards the front door.

The obnoxious banging continued.

"Go away!" We all shouted, still not taking our eyes off of the television.

The banging continued for the next ten minutes, until our show ended We all got up, furious, and stalked to the door.

"What?" We snapped as Rosalie yanked open the door.

There they were, Edward, Jasper, and Emmett. They were also staring at us, their eyes quickly scanning up and down our bodies.

"Well, if you're done gawking at us, we'll talk to you later," I said, reaching for the door.

"Wait!" Edward all but shouted and grabbed my hand to stop me from slamming it closed. When he touched me, it was electric. This is why I had kept my distance. How could I forget about him when he was giving me electric touches?

"What do you want?" Rosalie demanded.

They had just ruined our relaxing afternoon and we were all annoyed.

"A favor," Emmett answered.

We turned to each other and burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Jasper demanded all three of them seemed to be confused by our reaction.

"What's funny? You just ruined our afternoon, then you gawk at us, refuse to leave, and now you want a favor!" Alice answered giggling.

"Please, just hear us out?" Emmett pleaded.

We looked toward each other and shrugged in silent agreement.

"Come in." I sighed and gestured for them to enter.

I heard them breathe a sigh of relief.

**EPOV **

"Get the hint and go away!" We heard Alice scream. Jasper, of course, grinned like an idiot at the sound of her voice.

"What?" He snapped when we gave him knowing looks. "Shut up." He scowled and banged on the door.

"Go away!" They all shouted this time and I couldn't help the smile at the thought of finally being able to see Bella.

We had come up with a plan after my mother called with her news…one that killed two birds with one stone.

Emmett huffed and stormed over to the window.

"Dude, get away from there," I hissed at him.

He rolled his eyes. "Come on, guy's they're just watching TV."

We continued to bang on the door. Suddenly, the door was yanked open.

"What?" They all demanded looking like they were about to kill us with their laser vision.

But that's not what had us dropping our gazes the second we realized what they were wearing. Or what they weren't wearing seemed more appropriate.

They were all dressed in tank tops and very, very tiny shorts that showed off just what God had given them. I had never been one for religion before, but even I offered up a silent thanks to the big man. Which, I now believed one hundred percent that if there was a God, he was a dude.

"Well, if you're done gawking at us, we'll see you later!" Bella snapped as she went to slam the door in out stunned faces.

"Wait," I said grabbing the door. When our hands touched I was surprised by the electric shock that pulsed through me. If she felt it too, it didn't show.

"What do you want?" Rosalie demanded angrily and I swear I actually heard Emmett gulp. I had to admit that she could be scary when she wanted to be.

"A favor," he answered honestly.

All three of them started laughing hysterically. I looked to the guys, but they just shrugged their shoulders. They were as confused as I was.

"What's so funny?" Jasper asked confused.

"What's funny? You ruin our afternoon, then you gawk at us, refuse to leave, and then you want a favor." She answered him, still laughing her ass off.

"Please, just hear us out?" Emmett all but begged.

They did that weird thing that I liked where they seemed to be having a conversation without actually talking. It reminded me of twins. I had heard of some of them that didn't need words to actually hear one another. They all shrugged and turned back towards us.

"Come on," Bella said while holding her arm out for us to come in.

We all sighed in relief and entered their cabin. It was the first time I'd ever been inside and I noticed the smell. It was so feminine. The furniture was comfy and cozy and anyone would feel comfortable there.

The girls all crashed back onto the sofa and I looked around and noticed the candy wrappers, bowl of onion rings and soda. It seemed they were having some sort of female ritual, and we had disrupted it.

As we stood in front of them, about to pitch them our idea, or beg if necessary, I took a moment to study them.

Rosalie looked bored, Bella's eyes were suspicious, and Alice just waited patiently. I liked Alice. Out of three of them, she seemed to be the only one willing to give us a chance in hell at proving that we weren't complete bastards.

I nudged Jasper forward. If the past was anything to go by, he seemed to be their favorite.

"Ladies, we have a problem," He started.

"I think you all have many problems." Bella interrupted, making the girls chuckle.

I glared at her and she just grinned up at me. Dammit, I can't seem to resist the girl and I think she must know it.

"Anyway, our mothers are coming to visit. They come for a weekend at least once a year, and every time they're here they try and set us up with every girl at the hotel. It's always a very long and embarrassing couple of days."

"How does that involve us?" Rosalie asked slowly, obviously confused.

It was Emmett who answered. "You see, our mothers wouldn't try and set us up if they thought we were already seeing someone. And we wouldn't normally put this on you, but you're the only girls we know who wouldn't try and take advantage of the situation."

"Oh, well you think a lot of yourselves." Rosalie replied quietly.

"So, let me get this straight. You think all because you ask a girl to pretend to be you girlfriend, so pathetic by the way, that they'll throw themselves all over you?" Alice asked and I didn't know whether it was wonder or disgust I heard in her voice.

"What are we in, some kind of chick flick?" Rosalie scoffed.

"Well, I don't know guys. Being around you, being with you, pretending we're in a relationship. I just don't know whether I'd be able to control myself. You are all just so manly and hot. How are we supposed to just cut that off when your mommies leave?" Bella's voice was both seductive and sarcastic as she batted her thick eyelashes and took the piss out of us. Her sexy voice didn't fail to make my heart pound, though.

"Mommies?" Emmett demanded.

She just looked up at us while Alice and Rosalie laughed like hyenas at her.

"Just tell your mothers that you don't want to be set up right now. Man up!" She ordered.

Emmett's jaw nearly hit the floor. He was a jock through and through. He flaunted his masculinity with pride. His middle name should have been testosterone.

Jasper snickered at Emmett's expression and even I had to smirk.

Sensing that we were getting nowhere, I stepped forward.

"Please? We don't want to have to ask Jessica and Lauren because, knowing them, they will actually believe that we're in a relationship, and the thought of that just makes me shudder." I admitted and noticed Bella's smile at my confession. When I saw them starting to thaw, I pounced. "They won't give up, and it would only be for a weekend. We would have asked someone else, but well, the one time we did, it went extremely badly. We would owe you so much if you did us this favor." I poured every ounce of charm I had into my voice.

Alice looked at the other two with her big blue eyes and I watched in interest as they communicated.

It was brief; Rosalie rolled her eyes, Bella shrugged, and Alice smiled.

"Fine," Rosalie sighed. "But you listen here, champs. We expect something in return." She paused for a moment with a blank expression. "And when we think of it, we'll let you know."

"Okay." Emmett agreed. He didn't believe in discussing things like the girls did.

Suddenly, Alice jumped up and ran into the kitchen. I didn't miss Jasper staring after her bouncing figure.

And neither did Bella. "Jasper, honey, close your mouth," She drawled. He just smirked at her in return.

I frowned. She seemed to prefer him over me and I was trying not to let it get to me, but it was hard. I had never been this obsessed over someone I knew. Hell, I had never been this obsessed over women I'd known for years. And it was hard when that person came along and preferred another guy. Especially when that guy was one of my best friends.

It also didn't help that they had so much in common with each other. They both grew up in the south, they both played guitar and loved country music, and they were both obsessed with Johnny Cash and Weezer. I told myself that Jasper obviously had a thing for Alice. But did Bella have a thing for Jasper?

Before I could think too much about it Alice came running back over with a small bowl in her hand that had three pieces of bunched up paper in it.

Ignoring us, she went over to the girls, picked one out of the bowl, and instructed them to do the same.

"Emmett," Rosalie announced as she opened her paper.

"Jasper," Bella followed. Dammit, it would have been nice to pretend to be with her for a couple of days.

And we would have, it had been part of our plan to get closer to them. Alice, I thought with a scowl, which only deepened when she turned to me and smiled. "Edward."

She then handed out a piece of paper and a pen to each of us. She was freakishly organized for something that we had just thrown at her.

"Sit down and write a little about yourselves. I want birthdays, full names, where you went to school. Anything that you would want your girlfriend to know, put it on the list. There is no way in hell I am being caught out lying to your mothers."

As soon as we had finished we each switched and were ordered to memorize them.

"When are they coming, again?" Rosalie asked as she scanned Emmett's page.

"This weekend...Friday night until Sunday morning, I'm guessing. That's what they normally stay for." Emmett answered, looking a hell of a lot happier with his 'girlfriend' than me or Jasper.

Alice frowned as she tapped her chin with her pen. "Come back tomorrow and we'll figure out a way to make it more believable. Goodbye boys."

And with that, we left.

**BPOV **

Alice slumped down onto the couch, her head resting in my lap. "I wanted Jasper." She sulked.

"Oh, we know that you want Jasper." Rosalie teased.

"You want to switch?" I offered, torn between wanting to switch and wanting to stick with Jasper.

While Alice didn't mind being around Jasper, even while she was confused by her own feelings, I did and Jasper was safe. I didn't know what I'd have done if I had been paired with Edward.

"No," She huffed. "Then he'll know why we switched."

I smiled, it seemed only Rosalie got the one she really wanted.

While Alice and I were torn between wanting to be around Edward and Jasper and wanting to run for the hills, Rosalie had admitted she really liked Emmett and while she didn't think she would actually ever act upon it, she saw nothing wrong in getting a little man candy.

"Okay, I'm going in the bath, and reading up on my hunky boyfriend," Rosalie grinned as she all but skipped out of the room.

I smiled as I thought about what was going to happen this weekend. We would be faced with three mothers, who were all intent on getting their son's to settle down, and pretending to be their girlfriends when we were secretly interested in their sons. And only one of us would actually be interested in the one we were 'dating'.

This would be interesting, indeed.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N ****Hi guys! I nearly forgot to post this chapter! Please review!**

**BPOV **

Over the next two days we prepared ourselves for our 'girlfriend' roles. We read our notes that the guy's had wrote up for us and even ventured into their cabin to spread a little femininity, as Alice had called it. We had taken over a couple of items of clothing to place in the guys' rooms like they were just casually lying around, when really Alice had placed them down with way too much care for any sane person. There were toiletries in the bathrooms; it had been so tempting to put in a jumbo box of tampons, but Alice, being the little perfectionist that she is, insisted that no self-respecting woman would ever do that so early on in the relationship.

We had even made the guys clean up the place, and though they had groaned and cursed us to the fiery pits of hell, the place was spick and span.

Since we, well Alice, had offered for the mothers to use our cabin as well so they wouldn't need to pay for a room or put the guys out we were stuck playing 'couple' the entire weekend. We'd even be sharing a room. This was going to be disastrous.

So, here we were, in the guy's apartment on Friday evening, waiting for the longest weekend of our lives to begin. Please, I prayed, just let it go well as I flipped through my book on the guy's sofa.

The guys were currently in an all-out X-box battle, Rosalie was flipping through the channels on the television and Alice was preparing dinner.

We all agreed that she was taking things too far, but she seemed to be having fun playing girlfriend.

The upside was the look Jasper would give her every couple of minutes, and then the envious look he would shoot Edward. It was obvious to everyone but Alice that he had been hoping to have her play his 'girlfriend', not Edward. When we heard a car pull up outside we all froze.

"Crap," I muttered.

"Okay, okay!" Alice called as she rushed over, still wearing her little apron. "This is what we've been preparing for, people. From now on we are in relationships. I love Edward; he loves me and so forth. Now, I still can't believe we got roped into this, just like I still can't believe that the guy's would rather flat out lie to their mothers rather than just telling the truth, but this is the situation we have all found ourselves in and goddamn it, we are going to pull it off. I have put too much time and energy into this. So, no one screw it up. Go it?" Alice demanded after her passionate rant.

She would have been perfect for show business, I thought to myself, wisely not voicing my opinion.

When she glared at us we all answered with a round of 'yeses' and then went to greet the parents.

Three women got out of a silver Volvo and raced towards the guys who had run down the porch steps to greet them. It was like watching the Discovery channel in my opinion. You found it strange, and yet, fascinating at the same time. I watched as each of the guys held onto their mothers and then swapped like a game of pass the parcel. I had gathered the guys were close, but I hadn't believed it would be like this. They all looked like family.

The guys finally tore themselves away from the women's grasps to wave us over. I took the opportunity to get a good look at each of them. Emmett's mother, Karen McCarty, was tall and curvaceous, and I knew now where Emmett got that smile and those eyes. And curls, I thought with a smile. She was beautiful and had that same aura of happiness and friendliness that Emmett always seemed to have.

Jaspers mother, Susan Whitlock, was short and full figured with light brown hair and seemed to look nothing like Jasper until you looked into those baby blue eyes. She had a strong southern accent that reminded me of my late Grandma, and hot summer days by the lake.

Lastly was Edward's mother. Elizabeth Masen seemed more intimidating to me than the others for some reason, though she greeted us all with welcoming smiles and a hug for each of us. She was average in height, had the curves that only a mother could ever really have and. She had Edward's crooked smile and emerald green eyes…eyes that seemed far too observant for my liking. She seemed to take in every detail about everything, something I had always noticed about Edward. Well, now I knew, like his smile and eye color, where he got that from.

As we went into the house, I of course, got pulled aside by Susan, as the others went to get drinks. "So, Bella, tell me about yourself. When did you meet Jasper?" She asked excitedly.

I suddenly felt terrible. I didn't want to lie to these women. Before it had been easy because we hadn't met them, hadn't seen how obvious it was that they loved their sons. I told myself that, with Susan, it wasn't so bad because whenever Jasper strapped on a pair, he would have Alice. That's if he could prove it to her that he wasn't as big of an ass as we thought. That's when an idea came to mind.

Smiling, I began my story of how we met when we moved here, and how we just clicked and everything else that Alice had wrote down for me.

"I'm so relieved he finally met you, Bella. I've been worried about him ever since that **woman."**

I controlled my expression and pushed aside the guilt at kind of manipulating Susan, but I liked Jasper and I liked the idea of him and Alice, and I needed to know if this was a game.

"Oh, yes, her. Well, Jasper, he doesn't really like to talk about it." I hedged pouring compassion into my voice and glanced towards Jasper.

She noticed my glance and smiled over at her son who was chatting with the others.

"I should think not, leaving him high and dry like that. I told him she would only break his heart and what happens, two months after moving to Utah, she up and leaves him for some man on a motorbike and breaks my babies heart."

"Tramp," I muttered honestly. I looked over at Jasper, and the way he watched Alice and murmured, "Sometimes something bad has to happen so you can find someone good."

"Exactly," she smiled, thinking I was talking about my relationship with Jasper.

I smiled. "I just still can't believe anyone would ever give him up willingly." Again, it was honest. Womanizing ways aside, he seemed like a good man.

"Yes, well, Vicky never did appreciate him. Then, after she left, he just seemed to close off. He was seeing all these women…" She broke off abruptly when she realized what she'd said.

I smiled. "Trust me, I know all about Jaspers past."

She sighed in relief. "Good. I mean when I was last here he was dating some god awful woman named Maria, and I just knew she wasn't good enough for him. But, I see him now, the way he lights up and it's like I have him back. I'm just glad that he's finally found someone he's ready to open up with." She said warmly.

I glanced over and saw him glancing toward Alice who was talking with Edward and Elizabeth, or Beth as she had told us to call her.

"I am, too."

**EPOV **

"Focus Eddie," the evil little creature beside me hissed, as she jabbed her elbow into my ribs.

"What?" I snapped.

"We are doing you a huge favor, Jackass and I would appreciate it if you didn't screw it up by making goo-goo eyes as Bella. Pay attention." She ordered as my mom walked over to join us.

"Aww, look at the two of you. I have to say Alice that when I saw you three standing there, I didn't know what to think, but I'm glad. You two are so sweet together." She smiled brightly.

"Aren't we just," I muttered and received a much more discreet, but just as painful, jab to ribs for my efforts.

An hour later we were sitting around the dining table chattering about our mothers' new favorite subject; the girls. How we met, who asked who out, were we serious, how did effect our jobs, would Bella consider moving to Texas.

It was non-stop and I could see the guilt in each of the girls' eyes whenever they lied to one of them.

Out of the three of us, it was Emmett and Rosalie who seemed the most comfortable in their roles, but then again, Emmett was getting to act out his part with the girl he'd been lusting after for the past couple of weeks. Alice and I, well, we just didn't seem to be pulling it off, in my opinion. Every time she rested her hand on mine in a gesture of intimacy as she had called it, we would both just tense up, like we knew it wasn't right.

What annoyed me the most, though, was how comfortable Jasper and Bella looked together. Jasper had his arm rested over the back of Bella's seat and she merely sat back and you would assume by their ease that they were a couple.

I hated that.

I also hated how tense I was because of my mother. There were just some things I didn't want people to know...especially Alice.

As if on cue my mother started talking about my childhood and I remained frozen as she continued, seemingly oblivious to my discomfort. Particularly, when she started talking about the summer I got my first job.

"Well, Edward's father and I hadn't been separated for very long, and it was still a struggle to get used to everything, including the financial aspects of being a single parent. I would stress about it all day and night. I hadn't slept properly for weeks and then at the end of summer, Edward comes up to me with an envelope which had money inside."

I internally cringed at the story and the fact that everyone was now listening to my mother speak.

"I, of course, freak out and demand to know where he got the money. It turns out he'd gotten a job as a paper boy and got up early every morning during his summer vacation to earn it. Then he handed it over to me and said he hoped it would help." She smiled lovingly over at me.

"It did. Not only did it pay the bills, but it reminded me that I wasn't alone."

"Okay, Mother," I groaned and she just laughed. I wanted to die as she continued to drabble on about how I kept that job throughout high school and handed every paycheck over to her. I really didn't need this and I wanted to throttle her for even bringing it up.

Eventually, it got late and we helped our mothers to their rooms. My mom would be staying in Jasper's room, while Alice and I would be in my room. Susan would be in Emmett's room while Emmett and Rosalie would be staying with Karen, Bella and Jasper over at the girls' cabin.

Later, when it was just me and Alice alone in bed, I was more than ready to just forget the entire day.

"So, you really did that for your mom?" Alice whispered.

Cringing, I muttered. "Just go to sleep, Alice."

I woke up at 5:30 in the morning, after spending the rest of the night on the floor. I could hear the evil one breathing from my comfy king sized bed and glared up at her. She may be small, but she took up a lot of freakin' room, so in the end I had been shoved off the bed and landed face first on the floor. I swear she did it on purpose. Groaning, I got to my feet and muttered a curse. It felt like someone had stabbed me between the shoulder blades and was now dragging it down my spine, just for good measure.

I made my way to the shower in hopes that the hot water would soothe the muscles. Later on, when I was sneaking out of my own bedroom so I wouldn't wake the reason I was in agony, I noticed I had someone waiting for me.

I was wary of the fact that my mom was leaning against the wall, watching my every move with those eyes of hers.

"Hi, Mom. What are you doing up so early?"

"Why aren't you with her?" She asked softly.

"Alice?" I frowned. "She's still asleep; I thought I'd let her rest." Even though she'd already had too much, in my opinion.

"No, Dumbass. I meant, why're you with Alice when you want to be Bella?"

My heart stopped. I shouldn't have been surprised, my mom knew me better than anyone.

"Mom, I'm not with Bella." I tried to keep the disappointment of that fact out of my voice.

Of course, she saw right through it. "But you want to be. I see it in your eyes. Every time you look at her, your eyes, they shine. And your smile...your whole face changes, it goes all soft and dreamy. Why aren't you with her?" She had seen through everything.

I tried again for the sake of it. "Mom, I'm with Alice. I love Alice. Not Bella." Why did it feel like I was lying when it came to Bella?

"Whatever," She replied flippantly. "I'm going to talk to my future daughter-in-law." Then she ran off down the stairs.

I followed her after a second delay. I could hear my mom giggling; I swear we were sometimes more like brother and sister than mother and son. I heard Kid Rock's _'So Hott'_ playing but didn't pay any attention. That was until my mom froze in the door way of the kitchen. I looked at what had actually gotten her to stop and was stunned myself.

Bella, in pajama bottoms and a t-shirt, making pancakes, singing along to the music, and not worrying about the hot pan in her hand, as she flipped pancakes over while moving to the music. There were three plates set out with pancakes and fruit on and the coffee pot was full. She was making breakfast for our mothers. She was so sweet.

Oh, Jesus, she'd just swayed her hips as she reached into the bottom cabinet for glasses, her shirt riding up at the back, showing off her creamy skin.

Thank you, God, for when the song ended and she realized we were there. She quickly turned off the radio and dropped the pancake onto the plate, then continued to finish making breakfast while she spoke to us.

"Hi guys!" She greeted us with a bright smile. "Beth, what are you doing up?"

"I thought I'd come and make breakfast," my mom answered the sexy angel with a chuckle.

"Oh no!" She objected. "You, Susan, and Karen are here to see your sons, not dote on them. Go get dressed, Susan and Karen are on their way over, and then you'll sit down and eat breakfast." She ordered my mom, which wasn't an easy thing to do.

"But-"

"No buts. Seriously, Edward, do you let her cook for you when she comes?" I didn't answer. She shook her head in annoyance and rolled her eyes, making my mom laugh.

"Come on, mother, you heard her." I said, as I shoved her out the door.

"Stop pushing me," she ordered as she shook with laughter.

"You just looked so guilty," She chuckled.

"That's it, mother, get your ass upstairs and dressed now." I ordered as I pushed her up the stairs.

"Your mouth was hanging open and I swear to God, you actually broke into a sweat when she started shaking her hips," she howled and I prayed that Bella couldn't hear us.

"You suck," I muttered like I often had when I was a child.

"Why don't you be a man and just go and talk to her?" She demanded.

"Why won't you be quiet?" I shot back. "Please, mom, I'm begging you. Bella doesn't feel that way about me, in fact she think's I'm kind of an ass. I really don't need this rubbed in my face."

All the laughter faded from her as she searched my eyes. "You truly believe that, don't you?"

"Yes." My tone implied the 'Duh'.

"Oh, my dear sweet boy," she smiled pinching my cheeks softly.

"What? And what was all that from last night? Bringing up the past like that," I glared at my mother.

She just smiled. "Well, maybe, if you weren't cringing away from your past, you would have noticed the way Bella had been looking at you. Pay attention, Edward. You may just find something you like when you look into those eyes." She smiled at me, slapped my cheek a little sharper than necessary and walked away chuckling quietly.

I stood there, more than confused than ever. What the hell did she mean?


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N Hi everyone! Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy and please review!**

**BPOV **

After breakfast Susan, Beth, and Karen wanted a tour of the hotel to see what had changed, including our studio and then a trip to the Spa. They had offered for me to go along, but I knew that the guys should spend some time with their mothers without us getting in the way or having to worry about what we were doing.

"Where is everyone?" Alice asked as she entered the guy's cabin.

I was sitting on their leather couch, fanning myself with my worn out copy of The Last Song. "I don't care." I grumbled, not having the energy to answer her fully.

"Okay..." Alice trailed off, obviously wondering what the hell was up with me. "What is it, Sweetie?" She asked as she took a seat next to me.

"Do you really have to ask? I can't even read in this blistering heat!" I exclaimed. I could always read, always! The morning had started nice and sunny, but as the day went on, it had only got hotter and hotter and I couldn't take it anymore.

Alice on the other hand, was a total freak in my eyes, because she absolutely loved the heat. Alice just laughed. "Come on, we can go to ours and bring the fan over here." She grabbed my hand and pulled me off the couch.

I yelped and jumped up, staring down at my now red thigh. "It's like ripping off a Band-Aid! You could have warned me!"

"Are you going to tell me where everyone is?" Alice asked as she pulled me to the kitchen door and walked over to theirs.

"They said something about taking their moms to the Spa. I think they're staying there and waiting for them. I tuned them out after a couple of minutes." We entered our cabin and made our way up the stairs.

"Why, for the love of all that's holy, are there so many stairs in this place?" I grumbled. We froze at the top of the stairs, when we heard giggling coming from Rosalie's bedroom. We looked at each other questioningly.

"Rose told me she was heading into town." Alice whispered to me.

We listened outside her bedroom door, hoping to hear who she was in there with.

"Emmett, stop! That tickles!" We heard Rosalie squeal.

"Emmett!" We mouthed to each other in shock.

We had to cover our mouths to smother the laughter when we heard Emmett growl, "Come here to sexy Mr. Tickles."

"Oh, sexy Mr. Tickles, you're going to make me blush!" Alice shouted through her giggles.

Everything went quiet in Rosalie's bedroom and we could hear Rosalie hissing something to Emmett that we couldn't make out. The lovely blond opened her bedroom door, attempting to look innocent. She might have pulled it off too, if it weren't for her flushed cheeks, tousled hair and swollen lips. Oh, plus her tank top was on inside out.

"Hey guys, did you say something?" She asked casually.

I could see Emmett hiding under Rosalie's bed and from Alice's raised eyebrow, so could she. We both smirked at Rosalie, letting her know she wasn't fooling anyone.

"Come on out, Mr. Tickles. We know you're under the bed." I called out.

Emmett walked over to Rosalie and wrapped his muscular arms around her, in no way embarrassed. He was shirtless and his usually, perfectly styled hair was ruffled. He kissed Rosalie's temple and winked at Alice and I. "Ladies." He greeted with a charming grin that would make any girls heart melt. That was something to worry about seeing as, for now anyway, Rosalie was the girl he was aiming it at.

"Scram, Mr. Tickles. We need to talk about you with little Miss Rosie, over here." I ordered with a laugh.  
Emmett simply shrugged his broad, tanned shoulders, kissed Rosalie's cheek and headed towards the stairs.

"Oh! Would you do something about the heat at your place? It's a thousand degrees in there!" I complained.

"It looks like it's a thousand degrees in Rosalie's room, too." Alice snickered, ignoring the icy glare that Rosalie gave her.

Emmett grinned and saluted, before heading off down the stairs. We waited for his usual slam of the door before dragging Rosalie into Alice's room - because we didn't want anything to do with Rosalie's bed right now - before we started our interrogation.

"Before anything else, I just have to know. Why the hell did he hide under your bed when he could have hidden in the bathroom?" Alice asked, confused as to why he hid in such a terrible and clichéd hiding place.

Rosalie's blue eyes suddenly had a devilish glint to them as she grinned. "I guess his mind was elsewhere."

"Like his crotch?" Alice blurted out. We broke out into giggles on Alice's bed…the heat forgotten for the moment.

It was obvious to me that Rosalie thought Emmett's lack of common sense was thanks to her womanly whiles.

"So, are you going to explain why your top's inside out?" I asked innocently.

"We also want to know if Mr. Tickles lived up to the hype." Alice asked wickedly.

"Oh, he lives up to it. BELIEVE me." She grinned.

"How did all this happen?" I asked. I knew that they were attracted to each other, but that seemed to be happening with all of us. But, I had no idea they were so close to getting together. Well, I hoped they were together. Emmett was a big guy and it would take a lot of energy to beat him to a bloody pulp for hurting her.

Rosalie crossed her legs, getting comfortable and we followed her lead. "Well, it was last night and we were just talking and laughing. We decided that we were both adults and one of us sleeping on the floor was silly. We were laughing and joking, then suddenly, the room got all quiet and tense and he leaned in and kissed me." She told us, her eyes slightly dazed as she remembered the night before. "You'd think he would be rough and urgent, but he wasn't. He was gentle and intense. I pulled away after a while. I told him that I didn't think it was a good idea. Pretending for his mother was one thing, but this was another altogether. Then he placed his hands on either side of my face and told me that he had been dreaming of kissing me, being able to touch me since he had seen me in the Gym. That if he had to stay celibate to prove that he was serious, he would. That he wanted me. There was just something is his eyes. I remember looking into them and thinking 'Go for it.' And so I did. We spent the rest of the night making love, afterwards he held me in his arms all until morning. I have never felt so wanted and cherished. Most men only want the body or the face, but he wants ME." Her voice was soft as she replayed the previous night.

Both Alice and I had tears in our eyes. It sounded so perfect, so romantic. It was Alice who asked the question on my mind.

"What if he treats you like all the others?" She asked gently, not wanting to hurt her feelings.

Rosalie laughed without humor. "I kind of expected him to have left by the time I woke up. Instead, he was there, watching me sleep. He just looked so different. We always see him as the abrupt, rude one. But, he looked so tender; it was like seeing someone else. He must have guessed what I was thinking and because he just smiled and said, 'I'm not going anywhere'. I know this could turn out like the others, but I want him. More than I've ever wanted anyone." She admitted.

We gathered her into our arms, the three of us embracing on Alice's white and pink Polka Dot, king size bed. We were so happy for her. Yes, we were worried, but if it did end badly, we would be there to help pick up the pieces. Rosalie knew we would.

"Besides, if he does hurt you, we'll beat the shit out of him." Alice laughed, though we knew she was deadly serious.

Again, Rosalie knew we would.

Ten minutes later, we were still on Alice's bed, the windows wide open, not touching as I ordered.

"What about you and a certain southern gentlemen that looks as if the sun rises and sets with you?" Rosalie teased, rolling her head to the side to look at Alice, who just scowled at the ceiling.

"What's there to know? He turned out to be a Musketeer. He tells girls that they're special just to get them in the sack! The next day it's like they never existed, oh yeah, I'm in love." She ended sarcastically, but we knew her well enough to know that she really liked Jasper. That she was hurt and angry.

"I don't think you should write him off just yet," I advised, not wanting to share something that was obviously very private about Jasper, but also not wanting Alice to give up. I was coming to believe that when it came to Jasper it had been a broken heart and a fear of getting close to anyone that had turned him into a Casanova.

Alice sighed. "I wanted to believe he could be the one. It had all seemed so perfect. Our eyes meeting across the room, losing each other, only to realize, hey, we lived next door to each other. It was like a love story. But in no way did I picture Jasper with different every night," She cringed at the thought, disgust lacing her tone.

"So, what are you going to do?" Rosalie asked. "You have to have seen how he looks at you. You have to decide whether you can get past this or tell him he doesn't stand a chance in hell."

"I know," Alice sighed and losing herself in her own thoughts.

That night we all went out for a meal in town. All night long we were laughing and chattering away about the guys and listening to the more embarrassing stories of when they were younger. It was a fun night and it made me start to see the guys in a different light. They weren't just the asshole's who slept with a ton of girls from next door anymore. They were actually our friends now. I honestly hadn't expected that, but I liked it.

It was Sunday morning and I came downstairs to find all three mothers sitting at our kitchen table smiling at me. I had the strange desire to run screaming out of the room.

"Good morning," I greeted them, trying to get the relaxed atmosphere back.

"Yes, it is," Karen answered. "We're just about to leave actually. The boys are just loading the car."  
"Alice and Rosalie are 'helping' them," Beth laughed.

"Why didn't you wake me?" I demanded, sad that they were going to leave. While the past two days had been stressful, it had also been really fun, and I liked all of them.

"We would have said goodbye, Honey," Susan assured me.

"But, we did want to talk to you about something," Karen added.

I tensed. "What?"

"We congratulate you," Karen smirked.

"Huh?"

"Did you really think that we believed all this bullshit?" Beth chuckled.

"They have pulled a stunt like this before. We know." Karen smiled.

"Why didn't you say something?" I burst out. Great, so all of this hard work was for nothing.

"We liked you," Susan shrugged. "And we like who are sons are around you."

Well, what did I say to that?

"We know all about their womanizing ways. The last time we came they had some girls, Jessica, Lauren and Maria," Karen shuddered. "They were awful… all over the boys and extremely annoying. I have to admit, it was the first time that I couldn't wait to go home just so I could get away from her."

I smiled as Beth and Susan nodded in agreement.

"But when we came this time, it was just so different. They were different. And I'm guessing you girls are the reasons why." Beth continued softly, her eyes shining.

"So we've been stressing all this time for no reason?" I demanded. They just laughed at me.

"But, I know my son and I know something happened with Rosalie," Karen added.

I just grinned. "Yes, something happened. It's a good thing. I'm starting to believe that maybe they're not the men we thought they were."

"Well, they didn't give off a very good impression, I'm guessing," Karen suggested.

I just nodded, not going into details. We heard a car honk outside.

"Well, that's us." Karen smiled and we made our way to the door.

"Honey, do me a favor and get Jasper to talk to Alice. I wouldn't want them to finally admit they have feelings for each other in the nursing home." Susan teased.

"I'll see what I can do." I chuckled.

Outside, we all hugged and said our goodbyes.

"We'll see you soon." Beth said, pulling me into her arms and then whispered. "Give him a chance, honey. He has a bigger heart than you know."

When I pulled back, shocked, she just smiled knowingly and got into the car.

"Well," Emmett grinned, wrapping his arm around Rosalie, "that went well."

I smiled to myself as we made our way into our cabin. I'd tell them one day.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N**** Hi super cool party people! Here is the next chapter. Please review!**

**APOV **

It had been almost a week since the guys' moms had gone home, and even I had to admit that we pulled it off. I had been what with having to pretend to be with Edward and man did that boy hog the covers! Since then everything had settled down. The guys had helped us return our cabins to normal and I for one was glad to have all my clothes hanging safely in my closet once again. The days following had been fun, the guys often came over before work for some dinner, or we'd go to their place after our last class. Everything was going great, except for one thing, Jasper.

It was getting harder and harder to be around him.

When I had first seen him across the Gym, it had been like I'd had a vision of the future, it was so clear in my head. Like the fates were saying, 'Here he is!' I hadn't stopped thinking about him and was determined to find him. Then everything started with our neighbors, and I had decided to torture them, and then find him. Imagine my surprise when he turned out to be Jasper, ass slapping, lying to different woman every night, Jasper. And all my dreams had come crashing down.

Yet, for some reason when they had shown up at our door that morning, I hadn't been able to say no. I guess some masochistic part of me still wanted to know him. Then everything had happened with their mothers, and I'd thrown myself into my role as Edwards' girlfriend. What Bella and Rosalie didn't know was that I rigged it, I knew which one was which and chose Edwards name to draw.

I had gotten scared and so I had run, and I hated myself for it, but I knew I couldn't pretend to be Jasper's girlfriend and not get lost in the fantasy. It had helped, these past few days; I had gotten to know Jasper as a person, not just a fantasy or an annoying neighbor. But, I was still running because I was falling for him so fast, it scared me. He could break me and I didn't know if I could survive it.

I was still in my own little world, sweeping the studio floor when I heard someone come in behind me.

"Alice?" I heard Tyler greet me.

"Hi, Tyler." I smiled as he walked over to me. I had seen him around lately and he seemed like a really nice guy. He always offered to carry things for me, which never failed to amuse me. Just because I'm small didn't mean I was weak.

"I thought I'd pop in and..." He trailed off uncomfortably.

"Is there something I can do for you, Tyler?" I asked with a smile, trying to make him at ease.

It worked, I thought as he smiled at me. "Yeah, you could go on a date me with."

Huh?

**BPOV **

We were hanging out in the guy's cabin and playing X-Box, well we were trying, but neither Rosalie nor I had any talent for soldier games as my little man proved by cowering behind some bushes. I approved as since every else was shooting the shit out of each other, this seemed like the best course of action. Rosalie on the other hand was yelling at Emmett for shooting her.

Edward just rolled his eyes and continued to try and shoot me...asshole!

That's when Jasper came walking in and I tensed, knowing the question that he would ask and frantically tried to come up with a lie.

"Where's Alice?" He asked, his eyes scanning the room.

"Uh..." Seemed to be the collective response.

"She's on a date." Rosalie answered without looking up from the TV screen.

"What?" Jasper and I demanded at the same time, but for different reasons.

"Yes, Tyler's taking her out to the guest's restaurant." She shrugged.

I watched at fury filled Jaspers usually calm blue eyes as he stormed out of the house with the slam of the door.

"Rosalie, a word?" I snapped gesturing towards the kitchen.

Huffing, Rosalie got to her feet and followed me.

"What the hell are you doing?" I demanded as soon as I was sure that the guy's couldn't hear.

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "That guy has been ass over elbow for that girl since the moment they met. It's time he pulled his head out of his ass and did something about it." She hissed quietly.

I stared at her. "What is it with you and asses today?" I wondered.

"Bella, if he isn't going to fight for her when she's with another man, then he will never fight for her. I was tired of waiting for him to do something. So I gave him a push."

"And what if he doesn't fight?" I demanded.

"Then he doesn't deserve her."

"Leave me alone, Whitlock!" Alice shouted as she slammed the front door.

We had decided to head over to our place since we had actual food then and were watching some show that the guys turned on when Alice had burst into the cabin.

"Ali?" Rosalie and I called out, turning around on the sofa.

Alice didn't acknowledge us; she just stormed upstairs and slammed her bedroom door closed. The next thing we knew, Jasper was following her upstairs, his face a mask of fury.

"I don't understand. I thought she had another date with that Tyler dude?" Emmett asked in confusion.

I saw Edward roll his eyes. Rosalie nodded her head towards the front door and an idea came to both to us.

"Alice! Open this Goddamn door!" We heard Jasper shout, and bang on the door.

"Go to hell!" Alice shouted back.

We ran to the front door, the boys hot on our tails, wondering what we were doing. Rosalie and I both stood up on the railing, gripping onto the porch roof.

"What are you doing?" Edward demanded.

"Brain surgery! What do you think?" Rosalie snapped, as we both pulled ourselves onto the porch roof.

"It's like Charlie's angels or something." We heard Emmett say in awe from below and then we heard them both making their way up.

"Should we have given them that idea?" I whispered worried in case they would decide to play some pranks on us. We would crap ourselves if someone actually climbed onto the porch and spied on us like Alice had worried.

"Not if they value their lives." Rosalie replied quietly as we crawled up to Alice's bedroom window, hoping we wouldn't lose our grip and plummet to our deaths.

All four of us crouched down below the window, peeking up to get a good view.

"Should we be doing this?" Edward asked, obviously thinking this was beyond ridiculous and wanting to give their friends some privacy.

"Shh!" We snapped at him.

Alice was rummaging through her closet, pulling out her sulking clothes. Sweat pants that she got when she was broken up with when she was seventeen and a Taylor Swift T-shirt that she got when we went to see her in concert last year. She was about to pull off her shirt, when her door crashed open, making her jump.

"Knock much?!" She demanded sarcastically.

"What the hell's wrong with you?!" Jasper yelled.

"Me? You're the Neanderthal that dragged me out of the restaurant, telling Tyler that you would castrate him if he ever came by me again!" She yelled back, in no way intimidated by the furious look on Jasper's face.

We gaped when we heard what he had done, whilst the guys nodded their heads like that's what they would have done.

"You shouldn't have been there with him in the first place!" Jaspers shouted, taking a step towards her. "He looks like a date rapist!"

"Oh, don't be moronic! If you can help it, that is." She added, ignoring his glare. "Besides, it has absolutely nothing to do with you who I date. Now, thanks to you, I have to call Tyler, apologise, and reschedule!"

"You reschedule and I'll just drag your ass off then, too." He threatened and by the look in his eyes and the utter conviction in his voice, he wasn't lying either.

"Who I date has nothing to do with you, Jasper! Why don't you just go off with one of your barfly's and leave me and my dates in peace?!" She nearly screamed at him.

"Barfly?" The guys whispered in confusion. We just rolled our eyes and shushed them.

"It has everything to do with me!" He flung back at her.

"How? We're nothing to each other. You're just crazy!"

Something seemed to change in Jasper. He pushed her up to the nearest wall and before we could jump through the window and pull him off her, he slammed his mouth down onto hers and kissed her passionately. There was nothing gentle about it. It was pure anger, lust, and need.

Jasper stopped the kiss abruptly, looking down at her with a fierce expression. Both of them were gasping for air. "Like hell we aren't anything to each other. You know it and I know it. You're mine Alice. I won't let anyone else have you."

A very flushed Alice just dragged his mouth back down to hers, not ready to let go of him after finally kissing those lips.

"Aww..." Rosalie and I quietly squealed in unison.

"I'd say we should celebrate, but it looks like they're going to be busy for a while." Edward said with a smirk, which caused Emmett to laugh, and the love birds, making out against the wall, look straight at us.

Rosalie, Edward and I did the sensible thing and just ducked out of view. Emmett, however, froze and when Jasper came storming over to the window to confront their peeping Tom, Emmett stupidly took a step away from the window, forgetting that we were on a slope and fell backwards. We screamed as Edward dove for him, gripping onto his arm, preventing him from falling and possibly breaking a leg. It wasn't high enough to kill him which gave me some comfort, but he would still be hurt.

"It's all good." We heard him call out, dangling from the porch, gripping on for dear life as Edward helped him up.

We relaxed...until we saw Alice glaring down at us. We looked at each other, and then back at Alice

"Like you wouldn't have done the same." Rosalie bravely told Alice.

That seemed to thaw her out and a small smile appeared as she admitted that she would have done exactly the same thing. She just wouldn't have brought the loudest person in the world with her.

"It was just so hot." Emmett said in a dazed voice as they sat at the bar in New Moon. "The way you both pulled yourselves up onto the porch, it was like something out of a movie." He had been talking about it since he had managed to get down safely from the porch roof…unscathed unfortunately.

We were sitting at the bar whilst the guys worked. It had gotten quiet a few minutes ago, giving them chance to talk.

"Talk about hot. What about that kiss? I didn't know you had it in you, Jasper. My, oh my." I said as I fanned myself for dramatic effect as the other laughed. Jasper just reached over and kissed Alice, blissfully happy that he could do that whenever he wanted now.

"Well, I think it's great guys." Edward told them, handing me a coke. He nodded towards the others. Jasper and Alice were still trying to touch each other tonsils with their tongues, whilst Rosalie and Emmett were whispering to each other.

"Just me and you now." Edward told me with a laugh. I thought it sounded like a double edged sword.

Yes, it was just me and Edward now. But did he mean that we were the only single ones, or did he mean that we were the only ones left to hook up? By the spark in his green eyes, I would bet everything I had on it being the latter. I just didn't know if that was good or bad.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N Hi guys, sorry this is a little late! I have had the WORST two days at work and was in the wrong frame of mind. I will be updating my other story The Prophecy soon, but I need to write those scenes and it's not so easy to write when I'm cursing everyone under the sun and trying to get Edward and Bella to fall for each other. Not to worry, I will be posting another chapter very soon.**

**EPOV **

It had been an extremely annoying week, but it had also been wonderful. It had been annoying because now that Rosalie and Emmett, and Jasper and Alice were officially couples, the group was always together. And I had to sit there while Jasper could hold and kiss the girl he was crazy about anytime he wanted, so could Emmett and they did. Constantly. And all the time I just sat there.

What was wonderful about the week was that I got to spend a lot of time with Bella and during the week we had become friends. Whilst the others were on dates or simply just lost in their own worlds, we would play X-Box or watch movies, bickering the entire time. We seemed to agree on very little. From books to whether tea-bagging someone after they'd shot someone on a video game was just bad form. I still stick to it, what she did was damn out of order.

Like tonight, Alice and Jasper had gone out dancing while Emmett and Rosalie, well I didn't want to know what they were doing.

We were talking about some of the more embarrassing things that had happened to me during my years as a bartender, one included the time when I'd watched a little too much of the movie Cocktail and decided to try out some of the tricks. I'd thrown a bottle into the air, with the intention of catching it, but I'd miscalculated where the bottle was, and it had crashed onto my head. I'd spent the rest of the night in the ER, getting stitches and cursing. Bella burst out laughing, spilling her soda onto her jeans.

When our eyes connected, something changed, and things got more intense. I looked into her brown eyes as they darkened, and I leaned forward my mouth brushed against her soft lips and it was ecstasy.

Suddenly, Bella tensed and pulled away.

"What's wrong?" My voice sounded rough, even to me.

She bit her bottom lip, something she always did when she was nervous. "Edward, we shouldn't do this." She whispered.

"What? Why not?" All I could think about was pulling her to me and kissing her until we were both dizzy.

"Because...well, we're friends." She explained, and I knew it was a feeble reason.

"Jasper and Alice were friends. The same with Emmett and Rosalie and it seems to be going well for them." I pointed out, knowing I had her there.

"Edward, you know how you are with girls." She looked into my eyes and I knew what she meant and cursed myself for being such an asshole.

"Bella, you're different." I told her, willing her to see I was telling the truth.

She smiled sadly. "No, I'm not. You'd get over it. I'm just another girl."

When I started to argue, she pressed her hand to my mouth.

"In a week Edward, some blond, with a hot body will come into the bar and you'll want her. You only want me now because you can't have me. Because we both know it's wrong. So, let's just end this now before we take it too far."

"Bella-"

"I'll see you tomorrow, Edward." She kissed my forehead and walked out the door.

I just sat there, hating myself for making such a terrible impression. Bella wasn't, isn't just another girl! I knew I needed to prove to her that I wanted her, not just for a night, but that I wanted to be with her. I just didn't have any idea how to do that.

Later that night, I was still up pacing, thinking of how I could possibly fix it all. I turned when I heard something. Alice came downstairs, just in one of Jasper's shirts that looked like a dress on her.

"Hey, Edward, you're up late. Did you and Bella have a good night?" She asked as she walked into the kitchen and I followed her in, a plan forming in my head.

"Yeah, it was alright. Alice, I need to ask you something."

"Shoot." She said as she poured a glass of water and sat on the counter.

"I like Bella. I mean I REALLY like her." I rolled my eyes at how stupid I sounded. "Except, she doesn't believe me, she thinks that in a week I'll meet someone else and want them." I explained, and then told her what had just happened between Bella and I.

"Well, I knew you liked her." She smiled at me.

"Well... what do I do?" I demanded eager to finally move past all this, and finally be with Bella.

Alice looked at me, from head to know, seeming to decide whether she should help me or not. "Drift off to dream."

"What?" I asked, completely confused.

"Bella always said that the romantic thing she could think of someone doing for her is playing one of her favorite songs. I've heard you sing, you're not bad."

I tried to piece together what she was telling me, but I couldn't quite understand. "So, you think that I should sing this, _Drift off to Dream_ for Bella because it would show her how I really feel?" I asked, more trying the words out loud to see if they made sense, than anything else.

"Exactly, look she'll be putty in your hands after that. It's one of her favorite songs and she thinks it's unbelievably romantic. Play it for her for her, Edward. It will knock her off her feet.

"I can't do that!" I objected. The thought of singing in front of someone terrified me.

"Well, it would show her you want her. The question is: do you think she's worth it?"

It was a no brainer. Of course she was worth it.

**BPOV **

Two days later, Rosalie, Alice, and I entered the bar for the first time since everything that had happened with Edward. The girl's had practically dragged me here, kicking and screaming. I had told them what had happened with Edward, and why I had avoided him ever since. I would have loved to continue that kiss, but there was too many feelings involved already. I could fall for Edward, and that wouldn't be a good idea. With his player ways and my complications with Jacob, it just couldn't end well.

"Come on, Bella. It won't be that bad. Knowing Edward, he'll be flirting with some girl at the bar." Alice told me like it was a good thing.

My chest tightened at the thought of him with another girl. It wasn't a fair reaction, he was free to do whatever and whomever he liked, but I was human, after all. Get a grip, I admonished myself.

"I'll go get us some drinks! Why don't you two go and wait at our table, and I'll bring them over." Alice was already walking over to the bar.

"Come on, we'll get some drinks down you, and then all will be forgotten." Rosalie laughed as she pulled me over to our table.

The next hour was actually better than I had expected. Alice had told me that the guys were really busy, so she hadn't talked to Edward anyway. Jasper had told her that there was going to be a performance tonight. Some guy wanted to serenade his girlfriend, which we all found incredibly romantic.

We spent our time laughing about our college days, and all the stories about the people we had attended it with. It was nice remembering when we had first met. We were on the dance floor when suddenly the music went off and the spotlight focused on Matt.

"Okay, listen up folks. We have a guy here who wants to prove to the girl of his dreams, just how much she means to him. He's a bit nervous, so put your hands together for Edward!"

The crowd cheered and my jaw dropped. Edward? Edward! Yep, there he was, walking on stage with a stool in one hand and a guitar in the other. He sat down and leaned forward to speak in to the mic. "Hi, I just wanted to let someone know, that even though I didn't give her the best impression of me, that she means a lot to me and I would like nothing more, than to prove it to her, and for her to give me a chance."

Of course everyone 'awed' in the audience. Rosalie and Alice just nudged me and smiled. They were telling me that they'd known he was the 'some guy who wanted to serenade his girlfriend'. Wait, girlfriend?! I glared at Alice.

"So, Bella, this one is for you."

I recognized the song immediately, and my heart stopped beating, and then started back up in double time. _Drift off to Dream_ by Travis Tritt was one of my favorite songs. One of the most romantic songs ever!

Edward's husky voice was perfect as he sang. Tears came to my eyes. I couldn't believe he did this. I had always been a closeted hopeless romantic. What some people called cheesy, I called romantic.

"He wanted to prove that you weren't just another girl." Alice smiled brightly.

"He really likes you, Bella. Give him a chance." Rosalie encouraged.

"And what happens when things go wrong?" I asked, my eyes never leaving Edward.

Rosalie shrugged. "And what happens if this end badly with Emmett? That doesn't mean I'm not going to be happy while I can."

"And Jacob?" I asked the question everyone wanted to avoid.

"You can't wait around forever for him. And it isn't like Edward's the first guy you've dated since Jacob. Why not give him a chance?"

I looked up at Edward in awe; he looked amazing, like he belonged up there. Whilst watching him, I admitted the truth to my friends. "Because I can see how easy it would be to fall for Edward."

"Sweetie." They said in unison, and wrapped their arms around me.

"That's not a bad thing." Rosalie whispered.

"How can it not be?" I argued, feeling tears come to my eyes. They pulled away and looked at me.

"Bella, Edward can make you happy. Why not let him? Jacob may never come back, don't waste a chance for happiness on a maybe."

They looked at me so lovingly, willing me to see the truth…to see that Edward was good for me. I finally nodded and smiled. I wanted Edward. Surely, Jacob wouldn't begrudge me being with someone who would make me happy. I looked up at Edward as he ended the song. He met my gaze, and his green eyes held nerves and hope.

When everyone applauded, I took the chance and made my way through the crowd and climbed up onto the stage. Edward stood up and walked towards me.

"This had better not be just another line." I warned him.

"It's not." He promised, and then chuckled. "I would never get up on stage and sing, in front of all these people, if you were."

I smiled seductively. "Good because if it was I'd have to kick your ass."

He just laughed. "So, you're here, is it because you felt like you had to save me from humiliation, or because I'm irresistible?" He asked with a cocky smile.

I laughed and shook my head as I stepped towards him, pulling him by his shirt to me, making the crowd go wild as I pulled his mouth down to mine. It was more amazing than I remembered.

**RPOV**

As we watched Bella and Edward kissed on stage, finally, Alice and I smiled at each other.

"Worked like a charm." Alice laughed.

"Good. They belong together." I answered. I had a good feeling about them; we looked back up at the stage and smiled at the happy couple.

**BPOV **

"I'm going cancel." I told Rosalie and Alice flopping onto my bed.

"No!" They both shouted, turning away from my closet, which looked like a tornado had just hit it.

"I can't go." I got up and started pacing.

"Why the hell not?" Alice demanded.

"If I wear something too dressy then he will know I'm trying to impress him. If I go casual he'll think I don't care. I'm screwed either way!"

"Wear this." Alice ordered holding out a pale pink dress. It was nice, it flowed. But was it something you'd wear on a date?

"Yes." They answered my unspoken question.

"Wear the dress with that white cotton cardigan. You know the one that has short sleeves and comes to you ribs? Oh, here it is!" Alice held up the garment in question in triumph.

"Put it with a thin white belt to accentuate your figure and little white ballet slippers." Alice said absently as she searched through my closet.

"I guess we could curl...that." Rosalie commented motioning towards my hair, which resembled a haystack from the amount of times I'd run my fingers through it.

"Yeah, we'll put that nice silver clip she has in it, she'll look fabulous!" Alice clapped her hands together in excitement.

"Definitely," Rosalie agreed. "She'll look beautiful and not like she's trying too hard. He doesn't have to know she had two meltdowns just deciding what to wear." She smirked.

"Shut up." I growled at them. They just laughed.

"Get your ass in that shower!" Alice ordered throwing a towel at me, which hit me in the face.

I cursed under my breath as I made my way to the bathroom, slamming the door after me.

"And make sure those legs are velvety smooth!" Rosalie shouted through the door.

"I shave my legs every day, you hobo!" I shouted back.

"You know what I mean!" She shouted suggestively, Alice laughing in the background.

"We don't all put out on the first date, Rose!" I growled and threw an empty bottle of shampoo at the bathroom door.

"Well, that isn't right. I didn't even go on a date with Emmett before we had sex!" She shouted back, in no way embarrassed by it.

"Yeah, brag about that, Rose." Alice added dryly.

I couldn't help but laugh as I stepped into the warm water. Only a few moments ago I was freaking out about my date with Edward and now, thanks to them, I was bickering about Rosalie sleeping with Emmett without even going on a date. Only my friends could make me forget about how completely nervous I was.

An hour later, I was scrubbed, moisturized, and looking like an angel. Rosalie was right, I looked effortlessly beautiful. I stood in front of her full length mirror, twirling around, watching how my dress flared out as I moved. I had never been one for miniskirts and tub tops.

"Bella! Get your ass down here!" Rosalie screeched from downstairs.

With a spray of perfume and one last fluff on my curls, I was flying down the stair case.

"Sit." Alice ordered.

I walked over to the sofa with caution. What was up with them? They both looked so serious. They sat on the coffee table in front of me, each taking a hand in theirs.

"Now tonight, there may be a point where Edward wants to kiss you." Alice started.

"Yes and then he may want to take it farther, so we think." Rosalie paused to look at Alice, who nodded her head to continue. "I think we should tell you about the birds and the bees."

I couldn't believe them.

"You see, when a boy and a girl love each other very much. They like to share a very special thing. Now, don't be embarrassed, it's a beautiful and natural thing." Alice continued gently.

"I hate you both." I told them, biting the inside of my cheek to keep myself from laughing at their antics.  
They however burst out laughing.

"Well, we just thought you might want to be warned." Rosalie teased as she poked my side.

"I remember when we went through this the first time." I finally gave in and laughed. I remembered the night I had lost my virginity. His name was Martin and he was a media student at the college that we had attended. Alice and Rosalie had sat me down and went through the 'Sex Talk' in unbelievable detail. They had told me they wanted me to be prepared, but I knew they just wanted to see me blush. They were still laughing when we heard a knock at the door.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N Hi everyone, here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy. I know I did when I wrote it! Oh, and for those who don't know (I did write it on my last one but am reposting all chapters) I love Boycott's and Barflies, it is what inspired this story and in my world the book was made into a film and even had a sequel , so I do reference it a lot. If anyone would make it into a movie, I would be your best friend!**

**BPOV**

We all silently screamed together in excitement. When Alice and Rosalie started to run to the door, I pushed them down onto the sofa. "No." I told them sternly, like I was teaching a puppy to sit. I took a deep breath to calm myself before I opened the door.

There he was, looking way too sexy. He was wearing dark jeans, with his converse, of course, and a white buttoned down shirt. The first three buttons were left undone, giving me a glimpse of his chest. My heart took off like a jack hammer.

His bronze hair was in its usual disarray and his green eyes shined. It wasn't fair. Maybe, if I didn't find him so attractive, I could pull off being confident, but I was just too nervous.

"It's impolite to stare." He smirked and I could hear the giggles behind me.

Well, crap. How was I going to get out of this one? "Actually, I was waiting for you to apologize. You're," I held out my bare wrist like I was checking the time. "Three minutes late."

He just smirked at me and shook his head. I noticed that the girls had snuck past me to the stairs and nodded their heads in approval at my comeback. "I am truly sorry. Can you find it in your heart to ever forgive me?" Edward played along, his deep voice, teasing.

I sighed, sounding as put out as hell. "I guess I'll have to."

He just chuckled under his breath and shook his head. "Ready?" He asked, holding out his hand.

I smiled and nodded. Together, we walked down to his car; he even opened my door and everything. He was definitely scoring points, I thought with a smile as we pulled off.

He was definitely losing points, I thought as we pulled up to the lake. The lake, he was taking me out on that stupid boat again? Didn't he remember that last time I ended up _in_ the lake? I nearly burst out laughing at the memory of Alice and Rosalie looking like drowned rats. What the hell was I going to do? I couldn't get this dress wet. He was either crazy or so used to not having to work to get a girl to sleep with him that he had forgotten the dating rules. One of them being, never take a girl out onto a boat unless it's a yacht.

**EPOV**

I managed to hold back my smile. She was probably wondering whether I was crazy or just plain stupid. I had already come out and set everything up.

Man, when she had opened the door, I couldn't help but stare. The pink dress she wore made her look amazing. I had made the staring joke, just to keep her from realizing I was doing the same thing. I was impressed when she turned it back on me. I wasn't late, I had been pacing outside for the past five minutes because I wanted to arrive exactly on time and, also, I couldn't wait any longer. I was afraid she had changed her mind. When I heard her laughing with the girls I felt like I could breathe.

I had spent the day picking out what to wear and checking the weather. Emmett and Jasper had threatened to beat me to death unless I didn't shut up, but I was just so nervous. Man, I was turning into such a girl. I ran around to open her door for her and she looked like she was trying to tell me something.

"Edward…I'm wearing a dress. One I like. No way am I getting into that piece of crap again." She told me honestly.

That was so like Bella. She tried to be diplomatic, but if she couldn't find the right way to say something she wanted, she just told the truth. I just laughed and turned her in the direction of the dock, ignoring the electricity that ran through my body whenever I touched her.

"You see that?" I asked, grinning.

She gasped and then looked up at me and smiled in approval. "Now that's more like it."

I had set up a picnic at the end of the dock. There was a hamper full of food that the girls had sworn she would love and candles were placed around. That way, when it got dark, we didn't have to end the date short. I didn't want the night cut short. This was my chance to really get to know her. Without the others around, just me and her. To prove, despite her reservations, we could be good together. Besides, I knew she would like it. She may pretend otherwise, but she was a born romantic.

I took her hand and tugged her down the dock. I quickly got out the food, spotting her smile when she saw what I had packed. Especially the drinks, I knew Bella was a soda addict. The girls didn't have to tell me that. By the time I had set everything out, my heart had slowed somewhat, for which I was grateful. The last thing I wanted was to ruin the date by having a heart attack. The guys would never let me live it down.

"Did you really think I would take you for a boat ride?" I laughed after she explained her first reaction when she realized where I was taking her.

"I was starting to wonder whether you had lost your dating technique after all of those barfly's." She smirked.

"That reminds me. What the hell is a barfly?" She and the girls had used that term a thousand times, but me, and the guys could never figure out what it meant.

Bella just laughed, sending a thrill through me. I loved her laugh. I loved that I was the one to make her laugh. "Well, I am a fanfiction fanatic."

"Try saying that ten times in a row." I interrupted wryly and she just smiled.

"Do you want to hear the story?" She asked, trying to sound annoyed, but not quite making it. Besides, me and the guys had seen her pissed off. She was a force to be reckoned with.

I held my hands up in surrender, which only made her smile more. I loved her smile. I really needed to find my man card.

"Anyway, so I read this great fanfiction, fell in love with it, and then Alice and Rosalie read it. But then it got taken off line."

"Why?" I asked, wanting to know every little detail about her.

She proceeded to explain that an author had taken the fanficiton to her publishers and brought out a book that was basically word for word. When they found out, they pulled the book off of the shelves, and the actual author was offered a book deal, bringing out the book with its original title, 'Boycotts and Barflys'.

I then found out that a 'Barfly', was a girl that picked up guys in bars, mainly the bartenders. I had to laugh at that.

"Anyway, after that it kind of became our book."

"Like that Divnyls song." I smirked when she blushed, obviously remembering the night they had knocked on the door drunk, singing that song and woke up the next morning wondering if we had slept together.

"Yes." She admitted. "We have our things."

"What's your film?" I asked.

"Twilight." She said like it was the most obvious thing on the planet.

"Of course, the great Robert Pattinson." I rolled my eyes.

"Hey now!" She objected, laughing.

For the next hour, we didn't stop talking. Bella loved her films, music, and books, so of course that's where she started off. Arguing over which was the best 'Scream' in the trilogy. She preferred the original, whilst I liked the sequel.

"Come on! It's Billy's mother." I couldn't believe it. That was way better than it being her boyfriend. I knew it was him all along, anyway.

She scoffed. "Please. That's like saying the third is better because it turns out it's her brother. The original is way better. And funny! When Stu is on the phone to her and he starts crying because she says she's going to tell his parents. That's classic!"

"You're so wrong!" I argued. I was having a great time. Before, I always felt nervous, almost uncomfortable around, because I wanted her. Now we could just talk and not worry about letting the other see just how much we wanted them. I had spent so long trying to play it cool and treat her like Alice or Rosalie, but it was impossible. I wanted her. Now she knew and she was here. She was sitting across from me looking more beautiful than I had ever seen her, arguing with me over a movie.

"So…I have to know." She started, biting her lower lip. Something she did when she was worried.

I could guess what she wanted to know and I didn't blame her. I reached out and took her hand, holding hers in both of mine. I was engrossed by the sight for a moment. My hands looked huge compared to hers. I had heard her say in the past she didn't like her hands because her fingers were so short. I loved them.

"You want to know why I asked you out. Why I risked public humiliation to convince you to come out with me tonight?"

She nodded, her curls bouncing. "Yeah, I kind of need to know."

I took a deep breath and prepared to share the story of my past. One I didn't like to think of too much. "You see, to know that, you need to know why we are the way we are. You deserve an explanation and we need to sort this out now if we want to be together." She waited patiently for me to continue. Her brown eyes didn't hold any judgment.

"You see, Emmett, he loves women. He has never told a woman he wanted to stay in a relationship with her, and he's very upfront with them about it. Sometimes I wonder myself why they actually seem interested in him, in any of us. But, the rare times he has a girlfriend; he doesn't cheat, or treat them badly." I added when she frowned, obviously worried about Rosalie. "Jasper...I know Alice was shocked when she realized he was one of the guys next door. And I know that Jasper would have done anything to have her never find out. He has his reasons. He thought he was madly in love with his high school sweetheart. She moved out here for a job and he followed her. Leaving his family's ranch and everyone he loved. He got the job at Jenkins, and everything was going great. Until the day he walked in on her with some other guy."

"Poor Jasper." Bella interrupted her voice full of sympathy.

"I know. He realizes now, that it was just the person he thought she was that he loved. He didn't grieve over her. He grieves the life he gave up for her. He couldn't go home. He was embarrassed and ever since he's stayed with us, and kept women at an arm's length. Until Alice..." I trailed off with a smile, remembering how my friend lit up whenever he saw her, Emmett too.

"And me. I treat women the way I do because...as stupid and as childish as it sounds, I'd rather be the one breaking up with the girl." I admitted, slowly,

"I don't understand." She said her brow furrowed in confusion.

"I don't want to get hurt." I said honestly. "You see, my Dad, he was a real bastard. He was forever cheating on my Mom. He would play mind games with her, he would say he would be home at nine, and come back three weeks later and act like nothing had happened. Eventually, he left and he didn't make contact for about eighteen months. I was in high school and I wanted to see my Dad. But, those eighteen months were the worst of my life. My Mom broke down. She would lay there and cry, night after night. I couldn't do anything; I had never felt so helpless. Then he came back and I think maybe a part of her thought he had come back for her. I stayed in touch with him, but like all the other times, you couldn't rely on him. I was fooling around with my friends and I got hurt and had to go to the hospital. Everyone was worried. My mom called him and he said he couldn't come because he was out playing pool with the guys."

"Edward." She whispered, placing her hand on my cheek.

I closed my eyes and brushed my lips briefly against her palm. "I promised myself, Bella, after all those nights of watching her cry like her heart was breaking," I closed my eyes against the image, "That I would never end up like that. That I would never let a woman do that to me, I guess I went too far. I didn't realize that in trying not to end up like my Mom, I was turning into my Dad. And that's what I'm most ashamed of."

"What made you realize that?" She asked softly, her thumbs brushing my cheek. Something I found incredibly intimate.

"I was walking past the gym one morning." I smiled. "I saw this girl with her friends and they couldn't stop laughing. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I had planned to track her down and talk to her, but I thought she was part of this group of sorority girls, and that they had left. Then I wanted to prove that it was nothing, that the girl didn't mean anything." I looked into her eyes, waiting for her to react to what I was saying. Her expression didn't give anything away, but she didn't pull her hand away. I saw that as a good thing.

"Of course, I spent the next two weeks thinking of her every moment. Then I'd get angry again, and try to prove I was stronger…like I said, childish and stupid. Then one night I saw her in the bar, and I knew someone had given me a second chance and no way was I going to mess it up." I told her honestly. Then I laughed. "Imagine my surprise when she ripped open my shower curtain the next morning and told me to get my ass out of the shower."

She laughed, like I knew she would.

"I know you're scared Bella. You have every reason to not trust me. I have given the worst impression of me, ever. But, I promise you, that I won't mess it up. That we can work. We could be great together, Bella. I know that. I'm scared, too, but I'm not willing to let fear stop me from being happy. And if you'll let me, I know I can make you happy, too. I just need a chance."

I saw the utter shock on her face. Sometimes she was so easy to read, especially when she was felt strongly about something. "What do you say?" I asked brightly, trying to lighten to mood. Wondering how the conversation had gone from which 'Scream' movie was the best, to declaring myself. She didn't say anything. She just got on her knees, and kissed me.

I pressed my hand to the small of her back, to press her closer to me. After a few minutes, she pulled away and smiled down at me.

"Okay." She said, wrapping her arms around my neck, and I wrapped my arms around her waist, holding her to me, reveling in the feel of her against my body.

"Look at that." She whispered and I turned to see what she was talking about. "Have you ever seen a more beautiful sunset?" She asked in awe.

It was beautiful, the reds and oranges bleeding into the sky, making it more like were in Africa, rather than Utah. Yet somehow I couldn't make myself focus on the awesome view. I was too engrossed in watching her. I loved to do that, just watch her and burn her image into my memory forever. I had never thought I believed in love at first sight. But, seeing her now, remembering how she looked that day in the gym when I first clapped on her. I wasn't so sure anymore.

I fell backwards, pulling her down, so her body blanketed mine. She squealed and then laughed, and it was so infectious, I couldn't help but join in. Bella lowered her mouth to mine and everything was forgotten. I couldn't feel the chill that was coming in now that the sun was setting, I forgot I was on an old dock; I forgot I had brought candles to create a more romantic setting. All I could think of was Bella and how she was finally mine.

* * *

"Tell me!" Bella ordered as I drove her home.

She had asked me what my favorite book was ten times and I refused to tell her.

"Why not? It can't be that bad." She'd said that ten times too.

"It's embarrassing! I'm not telling you." I told her firmly, as I held her hand between us. We hadn't talked much after the sun had set. Instead, we had spent most of our time making out like a pair of seventeen year olds. It was amazing.

Bella brought out the big guns and pouted, which I guessed she used to get her way. It was so cute; I didn't doubt that it worked. "Fine, but if you tell anybody..." I threatened.

She clapped in triumph before taking my hand back. "Okay. I promise on the life of every leading man in my books, that I will never tell the guys about what your favorite book is. Why you're so embarrassed, I'll never know, but I promise."

Relieved, I told her. "_Pride and Prejudice_."

My mom had read it to me almost every night when I was a child. Explaining what words meant when I was too young to understand. Then, when I was older, we would read it together. The time I had told Bella about when I had gotten hurt fooling around with my friends, she had read it to me again. It was something my mom and I shared. It meant a lot to both of us, those nights when she would read to me, taking her mind off that my father still hadn't returned home.

She looked so confused, I wanted to kiss the look right of her face. "Why would that be embarrassing?"

"Because I live with Emmett, the man should have been named testosterone. And Jasper, he's from the south and very into men being men. Men should read crimes and horrors and anything written by Stephen King. Not about Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy." I ranted.

Bella just laughed. "I happen to love that book. That man was insufferable."

"Hey, he was nervous. He loved a girl that was politically all wrong for him and seemed to hate his guts." I defended my favorite character of all time.

"Well, he shouldn't have said she wasn't handsome enough to tempt him and call her barely tolerable!" She nearly shouted and it made me feel better to see that she liked it as well. I could tell by how passionate her voice was even when she was so completely wrong.

"That's just the way he is and he does some good."

"Oh yeah? Like when he tells Charles Bingley that he thought Jane indifferent to him?" She challenged.

I leaned over and kissed her, because I just had to. She hadn't laughed like I had feared; she was having an argument about the book with me. I could tell that, with Bella, I would never be bored.

Bella just laughed and pushed me away. "You're going to make us crash."

"Admit it. He's a good man."

"Fine. I do think he's a good man." She admitted reluctantly and I could tell she hated to back down. "When he's not acting like a complete tool." She added brightly and I just shook my head. "I do feel sorry for him when she rejects his proposal. Matthew MacFadyen looked so sad. And so good wet." She sighed wistfully.

"What? Come on. Collin Firth made a much better Mr. Darcy." I couldn't believe her utter lack of taste.

"What?! No way. Matthew MacFadyen all the way. He's hot, he's manly, and when he's angry, I swear to God, I can't breathe." She fanned herself.

We argued for the rest of the drive home over who was the better Mr. Darcy. She didn't back down on this one. I walked her to her door, and kissed her gently goodnight before heading home. Jasper and Emmett were playing pool when I walked in. I leaned back against the front door, unable to stop grinning like an idiot.

"If you break into your own rendition of 'I could have danced all night', I swear I'll throw you out." Emmett threatened.

**BPOV **

I leaned back against the door, repeating the night's events to Alice and Rosalie, who pounced on me when I closed the door, not even giving me time to sit down. They squealed all the way and sighed dreamily when I told them about his promise to make me happy. Rosalie wasn't shocked when I told her what Edward had said about Emmett's ways with women. Alice, however, was. Jasper had never told her why he acted the way he did, only that he never would with her. It took both me and Rosalie to hold her back when she was going to go to the guys, and then demand for Jasper to explain everything.

The night was amazing. I was right to have gone. Nothing was worth missing that for. It was the most amazing date ever and he sure knew how to kiss. The girls squealed when I admitted that, tracing my fingers lightly over my lips, remembering how his kiss felt.

They then burst out laughing when I told him about his favorite book. I didn't see the problem, but they seemed to find it hilarious. I knew Edward had told me not to tell, but these were my sisters, and they needed to know the details. Besides, I promised not to tell the guys, not the girls.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N I know, I'm like a bus. Not one for hours and then three come a long at once! I hope you enjoy the chapter and please review. I really love to hear what you think!**

**BPOV **

I gasped as Edward pushed me up against the cabin wall. I tried to catch my breath as he kissed his way down my throat to my collar bone and was positive I would pass out when I felt his tongue brush against my skin. It had been three weeks since our first date. It had been the most amazing three weeks and the worst in my life and the same time.

It was amazing being Edward's girlfriend, as he declared to everyone with great pride whenever they asked why we were holding hands. We spent most of our free time together. Sometimes it would be just the two of us, and others the whole group got together. Most nights the three of us would go to the bar and dance until the guys got off work, and we could enjoy the rest of the night together.  
Every time I saw him, I couldn't quite believe I was with him. I swore most days I was dreaming. Everything seemed to be perfect.

The only bad part about it was that I wanted Edward with every fiber of my being. Every time I saw him my heart would race, and my body would scream for him. Most days I felt like I was in heat or something. Edward didn't appear to notice and had no qualms about touching or kissing me in public. He was always holding my hand or had his arm around me. Part of me loved it, but the sexually frustrated part of me wanted to yell at him to either let me have my way with him or move. It had been a while for me, because I always went into a relationship with trepidation, not wanting to get into anything too serious.

Of course, the girls thought it was hilarious, and often told me just to go around in a pair of heels, a trench coat and a smile. They had then discussed accessories and perhaps a belt because a trench coat would be unflattering to my figure. I had been taking a lot of cold showers lately.

Not tonight, though. Tonight, I had decided, would be the night I slept with Edward. I had wanted him from the moment I saw him, and all of the steamy make out sessions over the last three weeks hadn't helped. They were amazing, but not helpful. Edward turned out to be very passionate, occasionally even coming in the studio and pulling me into the locker room...

Yes, tonight was the night; my legs were shaved and silky smooth. Something Rosalie and Alice and snickered about, but I didn't care. They had suggested just going into his room one night that they doubted he would be opposed to the little midnight visit, but I didn't want to come off slutty. They had rolled their eyes and reminded me that this was Edward, once a third of The Three Musketeers.

"Edward," I moaned as his hands roamed over my body. I doubted I would survive the night.

"If you want to change your mind now's the time to do it, Bella." He said his voice thick with lust.

My only answer was to press tightly against him, taking his mouth once again. He didn't need to be told twice. We made our way into his cabin; the guys were stopping at our place, up the stairs, and into Edward's room, where we crashed down onto the bed, not once did our mouths separate. It was a blur as we both tore the clothes from each other, eager to get to the others bodies.

I heard his gasp when he saw my underwear…black lace. They were soon gone. If I thought he was sexy before, I was wrong. The moonlight shone through his window and my breath caught. There wasn't a word to describe him. He was all muscle, despite his lean figure. He had a scar on his stomach and he shivered when I traced it with my fingers.

"That accident I told you about." He explained, almost breathlessly, when I looked at him questioningly. He groaned when I brushed my lips over it, wanting to erase the hurtful memories it brought him. He pushed me back onto the bed, pinning my wrists above my head, his mouth devouring mine, making his way down, and tracing his tongue along the valley between my breasts. I had never experienced anything like this.

Edward actually turned out to be quite a dominant lover, which only made the experience more amazing. He knew what he wanted, and he definitely knew what I wanted. His hands and mouth were strong and confident as he made his way over my body. Before, sex had been pleasurable, but this was mind blowing, earth shattering. This was the kind of sex that the talk with your girlfriends the next day with invented for. It was one hundred percent raw passion, and something else that I didn't know how to describe. Tenderness? Affection? I didn't want to think love. That would make everything even more complicated than it already was. I loved Edward. I didn't even want to fight it. He was the most amazing man I had ever met.

So, instead of telling him, I showed him. In every kiss, every touch, I showed him how much he meant to me. How much I loved him. Both sweaty and exhausted, we fell asleep in each other's arms, and I knew that was how I wanted to fall asleep every night for the rest of my life.

**EPOV **

I woke up to the most amazing sight, Bella asleep next to me. Her dark curls fanned out on the pillow, peaceful, she looked so innocent when she was asleep.

Last night had been the most amazing night of my life. Never had it been like that. And, oh Jesus, that black lace underwear which was now on my floor somewhere...I thought I was going to have a stroke. Seeing her there, under me, moaning my name in pleasure, pleading with me to take her to that place of absolute ecstasy… It was incredible, and I never wanted it to end. Afterward I had fallen to sleep with her in my arms, and I had slept better than I had in years.

With other women, they rarely spent the night, I could never sleep with someone in the room. I didn't know why. It was difficult for me to sleep downstairs with the guys when the girls had turned up drunk. It was especially hard when Alice slept over, then again, I didn't get much sleep on the floor...

Yet, with Bella, nothing had seemed more right, more natural. This is where she belonged, and I would do everything in my power to keep her there. I looked down and traced her cheek bone gently with my fingers. Why had I always feared this? Feared sleeping with someone I was emotionally connected to. Hell, someone I loved. I loved Bella. Possibly from the moment I saw her. It was the most amazing feeling. Waking up with the woman I loved next to me. So why had I let fear control me before?

I knew the answer. Those women weren't her.

She is funny, smart, feisty, argumentative, and loyal. She's unbelievably protective when it comes to her friends. Plus, there was something I could never describe…some kind of light that shone from her. As cheesy as that sounded, it was true. She just gave off this light and people gravitated towards her.

Her eyelashes fluttered and then she opened her eyes and smiled. "Hey you." She murmured sleepily.

"Hi beautiful." I leaned down and kissed her soft lips. "Last night was amazing." I said against her mouth.  
She smiled, her brown eyes sparkling. "Yes, it was. Now are you going to feed me?" She asked.

I placed my hand over my heart and pretended to be insulted. "I think you only want me for my body and my cooking. I feel so used."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, Hot stuff, I just can't get enough. Go get me food."

"Hot stuff?" I raised my eyebrows with a satisfied smirk on my face. "I like it." I decided, before kissing her lush mouth again and hopping out of bed, throwing the sheets off her. She squealed as the cold hit her naked body. I dragged on a pair of jeans as I left his room, just in case the guys decided to come back. They said they'd be home later, but they might need something. The last thing anyone needed was them walking in on me naked.

"Asshole!" I heard her shout after me. I just laughed as I made my way into the kitchen to make her breakfast.

**BPOV **

I couldn't keep the stupid smile off of my face as I walked around Edward's room, wrapped up in the sheet he just threw off me. Oh, the memory of his naked body, climbing out of the bed, pulling on the jeans he wore from last night made my mouth water.

He had cleaned up, I noticed with a smile. The clothes that were usually stacked on top of the dresser, instead of inside of it, were now folded neatly away. The change and bits and bobs that were normally on the night stand had been moved and the clothes he normally had scattered around the room were gone.

The only things that were on the floor were our clothes from last night, I thought with a blush. I grabbed his black shirt and pulled it on, buttoning it up as I left. I knew the guys wouldn't be here. Alice and Rosalie had promised to keep them...busy.

There he was. His bronze hair in its usual mess, yet only he could pull it off. He was shirtless and I stood there for a while, just watching the muscles play under his skin as he moved. The jeans were only partially buttoned and hung very low on his hips and I couldn't take it anymore.

I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist, pressing kissing onto the smooth skin of his back.

His hand went to mine and he smiled.

"Whatcha doing?" I asked like an inquisitive five year old.  
"I am feeding you like you ordered remember?" I could hear the smile in his voice, and it made my heart flutter.

"I'd rather have you." I told him seductively as I continued kissing his back.

He groaned and turned around in my arms, noticing for the first time what I was wearing. "Wow." He murmured, before kissing me with as much passion as the night before.

What was it with guys? For some reason they found it sexy when you wore their clothes. Probably possessiveness, marking their territory, staking their claim. If his kiss didn't make me want to throw him down on the floor and have my wicked way with him, I would have decked him.

He lifted me and placed me on the cool granite of the kitchen island, laughing when I jumped as my bare skin touched the cold surface.

"So, I can have you for breakfast?" He asked with a cocky smile on his face, his green eyes filled with sensual promises.

"We can come back." A deep voice boomed from the doorway.

There stood Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper and Alice, all looking shocked. I threw a look towards Rosalie and Alice, which basically said 'what the hell?!'

"I'm sorry." Rosalie apologized, as she elbowed Emmett when she caught him staring at me and I realized that I was on the kitchen surface, only wearing a man's shirt, with Edward between my legs. Awesome…just awesome. "We tried to stop him, but he said he needed his X-Box game." She finished, rolling her eyes.

"Nice shirt." Jasper commented, trying to hide his smirk. When Alice gave him a death glare it soon disappeared.

"Hey, are those pancakes?" Emmett asked, making his way over with Jasper on his tail. "The girls can't cook to save their lives."

Alice and Rosalie just glared at them as I made my way over, making sure the shirt covered everything. As Edward tried to save our breakfast, we made their way over to the TV. It was far enough for them to get basic details before they got the essentials later on.

"So… we take it you... " Alice trailed off suggestively, keeping her voice down so the guys wouldn't know what we were discussing.

"Uh-huh." I answered casually, watching as Edward threatened to shove a spatula somewhere anatomically impossible.

"And was he...?" Rosalie trailed off in the same tone.

"Uh-huh." I emphasized and the girls raised their eyebrows in question, wanting to know more. "Oh yeah," I whispered and couldn't help the blush as I visualized Edward hovering over me looking like a lion about to feast…but in a sexy way.

"My, oh my." They said in unison with grins on their faces.

When Emmett ran off with the plate of pancakes, and Alice and Rosalie finally dragged them back to our place, Edward came over and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Looks like we're eating out," He frowned.

I, on the other hand, laughed. "I'm not going to the cafe. Jessica's there. No, no, no."

"But, I'm hungry!" He whined, reminding me of a three year old girl.

"Look, if I go in there with you, you're not going to be able to keep your hands to yourself, and Jessica will probably kill a rabbit and mail it to me and then tie you up and have her way with you." I told him.

He looked deep in thought. "Well, you don't even like rabbits, and that second part doesn't sound too bad." He teased.

"Oh really?" I asked. He nodded, his eyes shining with laughter.

I leaned in closer, tracing his bare chest with my fingers and whispered seductively, "Well, tonight when you're in bed, alone. Why don't you give Jessica a call, because I won't be picking up." With one dig into his skin with my fingernails I turned to leave.

He laughed and gripped my arm, pulling me back into his embrace. When he tried to kiss me, I pulled away.

"Oh, no, Eddie Pie. You'd prefer Jessica." I nearly broke down in hysterics when he pouted. He was too cute. When I went to leave, pretending to be angry, when really I thought it was hilarious, he ran over, shoved his shoulder in my stomach and stood up.

"Edward!" I screamed as I found myself upside down. "You ass, I'm not wearing any underwear!" I shouted as I pounded on his back.

"I know." He laughed, but I swore he flinched when I punched him again. Good.

I suddenly found myself on the pool table, Edward hovering over me, pressing kisses to my neck, opening the buttons on his shirt. "I don't want Jessica. I only want you." He said as he kissed his way down to my stomach.

"So you don't feel like going to the cafe?" I teased my breath catching as he made his way up to my chest.

"The only place I feel like going is back to bed. I'd stay here, but with Emmett and Jasper... you never know."

"I guess I can forgive you." I sighed contently as he continued his exploration.

"Why, thank you." He said in a southern accent, which only made me laugh as he carried me up the stairs, and into his bedroom. If I never left that room again, I would die a happy woman.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N Hi, don't kill me, but I actually got this chapter back about a week ago and thought Id already but it up. Sorry! Anyway, we finally get the juice on Jacob and I hope you enjoy it. Please review, it makes me happy!**

**EPOV **

The past few weeks had been the best of my life. The sun was brighter, the air was fresher, the stars were magical and I knew the reason why…Bella.

For the past four weeks we had been inseparable. It was pretty easy since we lived next door to each other. The six of us would often go out on dates or even just hang around the house. We'd gone for a midnight swim in the lake; car rides which led to some steamy make out sessions in the back seat that I would never forget, and even a game of football that I would never forget. Seeing tiny Alice tackle a guy as big as Emmett was too funny to ever fade with time.

What was even more amazing was that we had all become friends. So, not only was it the guys who were my friends and the girls were Bella's, my girlfriends, friends. All six of us, as a group, had become friends.

It helped that there were so many, so if one person wasn't interested in something, you could find someone else who was.

For example, I loved cars, everything to do with them, Bella couldn't stand them, it bored the guys and to think Alice would be interested was laughable, but it turned out Rosalie was really into it, and had learned a lot about cars from her uncle.

None of us could quite keep up with Emmett's addiction to video games, until Alice, who was dynamite and could give Emmett a run for his money.

And Jasper and Bella were like twins. They had so much in common, from where they grew up, the books they read, to the music they liked. It was a great combination and we were never bored. Throw in that I was madly in love with the girl of my dreams and life couldn't get any more perfect.

It was strange, I thought, as I walked into the cafe, I had never imagined being so happy. Two months ago if you had told me that in the near future I'd be in a monogamous relationship, willingly, I would have laughed in your face. If you had told me that I would trust a woman with my darkest secrets, then I'd have called you crazy and called the asylum myself.

I smiled at Becky, a waitress from the cafe, as I ordered my coffee.

"Hey, Edward, how are you?" She asked her stomach was even bigger than the last time I'd seen her.

"I'm good. How about you and the little one?" I asked with a smirk.

"Little? I'm not going to be able to fit through doorways soon," She laughed as she handed me my drink.

"Well, you take care of yourself."

"I will, Dad." She rolled her eyes at me as she served her next customer.

I had almost made my way safely out of the cafe when I heard her voice.

"Edward!" Jessica called with a smile from across the room.

I sighed. I had stupidly asked Jessica to play girlfriend last year when my mom had come into town in the hopes that Beth would lay off on the lectures about how I should settle down, and find a nice girl to marry and have babies with. Jessica was new and seemed nice enough. How wrong I was. She had actually assumed we were in a relationship. The same went with Lauren and Maria.

Okay, with Emmett, I understood. The night our mothers had left, we'd all gone out for a drink, and he'd had one too many. He woke up the next morning regretting everything and apologized to Lauren for leading her on. She had accepted, but had been trying to get back with him ever since. And no matter how many times we told them nothing would come out of it, they all refused to listen. Emmett had told Rosalie about what happened with Lauren in fear of her trying to come between them. She had tried before and with girls Emmett had only hooked up with, warning them away when they saw them around the hotel days later. Luckily for Emmett, Rosalie had laughed and said that she'd done some pretty stupid things when she was drunk, but never as bad as Lauren. Then Emmett had gone all caveman on her and demanded to know the names of these 'pretty stupid things'.

"Oh, hey, Jessica," I greeted, trying to be polite.

She sashayed her way over to me, looking me up and down, which made me uncomfortable. It always had. The woman was like a barracuda.

"Hi. I was hoping to run into you. I thought maybe we could get a drink later." She batted her eye lashes, in what I assumed, was a flirtatious fashion.

The thing is I wasn't tempted. I had never been tempted, it was like that saying. You don't shit where you eat. That had been a factor on why I had always turned her down; another was that she had always reminded me of a blow up sex doll. Bleached blond hair, enough make up to make a drag queen cringe and man-made breasts that were so big, they had their own gravitational pull. Call me crazy, but it just didn't seem very appealing to me.

"Jessica, I'm sorry I have a girlfriend." I started.

Jessica rolled her eyes as if that didn't matter.

"I care a great deal about her," I continued, hoping she'd understand.

She looked at me for the longest moment and then sighed in irritation. "I can see that. I just don't understand. I have been here for over a year, Edward. I've been here, waiting for you to see that we could really have something. But do you? No. I have to watch you walk around with all these girls and I understood. You're a young guy; you had you oats and all that."

I stopped myself before I rolled my eyes. She had no respect for herself, obviously. If she truly thought that we were made for each other, she should have put me straight. Told me to buck up or she was moving on. She should want to do that. Not just watch a guy sleeping around, and then come to her when he'd had his fill. She deserved better. I was about to tell her that, but she continued before I could.

"And with Bella?" She demanded insultingly. "She always had everything, the dad, the friends, and the boyfriend."

I felt my jaw drop. "You've met Bella before?" I demanded. Why hadn't Bella told me?

Later, when I thought about this moment, I would recognize the sly gleam in her eyes, but that didn't come until later, right now, I was too shocked to realize that someone Bella had grown up with worked at Jenkins, and not only did Bella hate her, but she never told me.

"Edward," She began gently. "I've known Bella since we were fourteen. We went to high school together. I could probably tell you a lot about her." She paused as if she were debating with herself over something and then nodded her head. "I wasn't going to say anything when I thought it was just another one of your flings, Edward."

Okay, that stung. Did everyone see me as a giant man-whore?

"I know what I'm about to say will hurt you and I don't want that, but you have a right to know."

I could feel my heart begin to race and the blood pump through my veins. "What do I have the right to know?" I demanded, worried.

She looked directly into my eyes, eyes I had always been able to see through and told me honestly.

"Bella is engaged to a man named Jacob, Edward.

I ran up the porch steps to Bella's cabin and banged hard enough on the door to rattle the hinges.

"Bella? Bella, open the damn door!" I yelled angrily.

I couldn't believe her, here I was putting my stupid, foolish heart on the line and she was fucking engaged!

Rosalie ripped open the door, her expression a mixture of shock, worry and anger.

"What's all this banging about?" She demanded.

I pushed past her and stalked into the living room.

"Hey!" I heard her shout from behind me.

"Where is Bella?" I attempted to ask calmly, but it came out more of a growl.

"She's got a class. She should be done any minute now." Alice answered as she came from the kitchen to join us in the living room.

Rosalie stood in front of me with her hands on her hips.

"What's all this about, Edward?" She demanded.

"When was Bella going to tell me she was engaged?" I asked flatly.

They both shared a look, and that small, tiny part of me that held out hope, one that I hadn't even known existed, died. It was true.

"Would you like to tell me why no thought I should know that my girlfriend was engaged?!"

"Edward, if you would just sit down, we'll explain everything," Alice promised calmly, but I saw the worry in her eyes and the look she once again shared with Rosalie.

"Man, do you know how frustrating it is when you do that?" I asked, annoyed. I usually loved the little link they seemed to share, but right now it just pissed me off. I doubted anything that wouldn't at the moment.

"Sit down." Alice ordered, ignoring my outburst.

I ignored her.

"I said, sit down!" She shouted.

I sat down.

"Is this cold feet or something? Or am I just one last fling before she gets married?"

Rosalie snorted. "Oh, yeah, Romeo, you're her wild oat. Get over yourself." She rolled her eyes.

"Well, can you please just tell me? I have been honest with her and I can't take this." I admitted as I sat down on the sofa. The same sofa that we had fell asleep watching a movie the night before.

Alice must have seen the misery that I was trying so hard to hide from them, because she sat down next to me and held my hand. Despite everything, it made me feel a little better.

"She wanted to tell you herself," She admitted quietly. "It's amazing how fast a man runs when he learns about Jacob."

I cringed at the name, Jacob, her fiancé.

Rosalie sat on the floor in front of us, her eyes filled with compassion.

"We'll tell you everything. Starting from when we met Bella. It was five years ago. We were all there for our college interviews. We got to talking, but she was... different."

"Different how?" I asked before I could help myself.

"Edward, tell me what you like about Bella. And don't say anything stupid like her body." She rolled her eyes.

I thought about it.

"I like how she can be so silly and childish, and how at other times she can be so sarcastic and cynical you'd think she saw this world as such a dark place. When really she sees it like a child does. She has so much life in her and sass. She gives everyone a chance, even when they don't deserve it. She's a good friend…a good person."

I looked at them and they were both smiling gently.

"Exactly, but the girl we met that day..." Rosalie shook her head sadly. "You wouldn't have recognized her.

Alice took over the story telling. "Edward, when Renee, that's Bella's mom, met her father Charlie, she thought he was this handsome, charming man. A real man, who would look after her and love her, but when she got pregnant she realized that he wasn't the man she married. He was controlling and manipulative, and he wanted her to change into some old fashion housewife. To him, basically, the man ruled the house and women should cook, clean, and be seen, but not heard."

He sounded like a dick to me.

"So, when Bella was a few months old, Charlie had gotten worse and was talking about another child, Renee left and took Bella to live in Texas with her mother. Bella would see her dad maybe once or twice a year in Washington and that was it. But, when she remarried a minor league Baseball player, she wanted Bella to go with them on the road. Bella went to live with Charlie instead. She didn't want to travel all the time and she wanted her mom to be happy."

"What does this have to do with her being engaged?" I wondered, interrupting the story.

"Don't interrupt," Rosalie scolded me. "You need to know everything so that you can understand. So you can understand her."

I nodded my head, and Alice continued.

"So, Bella went to live with her dad, even though Renee was against it. But, Bella insisted and in the end, she agreed, but only as long as Bella was happy. Now, before Bella moved to Washington, she was just like her mother, which is pretty much the way she is now. Opinionated, funny, silly, a little cynical, and outgoing. But, like I said, Charlie isn't. When Bella got to Forks he basically set her up with Jacob, his best friend's son."

"Bella told us that they were friends, had been for years. But she never felt that way about him." Rosalie continued. "Her dad put some pressure on her, nagging, telling her how much it would mean to him, and asking for her to just give Jacob a chance. Bella, being Bella, she didn't want to let her dad down and they started dating." Rosalie scowled.

"Jacob and his family live in a reservation in La Push. They're very old fashioned, like Charlie. So, after a few months of living in Forks and dating Jacob, Renee started seeing the differences in Bella, and was worried. Bella went from being this young girl full of life, to being quiet and reserved. This was exactly why she'd left him. She didn't want Bella becoming like that. Bella became this person who was afraid to voice her own opinion, because when she did, it was met with disapproval and eventually, I guess she lost her voice."

"Edward, she was so different," Alice told me and I was starting to understand what they were trying to tell me.

"Then when Jacob wanted her to stay in Washington and go to the state college with him, Renee came to town and told Charlie she didn't like what was happening to Bella, and there was no way that Bella wasn't going to try and go to the college in California where she had always wanted to go to study dance and performing arts. She was there for Bella and gave her that push and made her go." Alice smiled. "If she hadn't then even Bella has admitted that she would have gone to Washington State like they wanted."

Rosalie smiled. "That's when she met us. We were there in the waiting room with ten other girls. I was looking thought a magazine when I saw a pair of shoes I liked." She smirked at Alice. "Of course, Alice saw and came right over and started talking to me about the latest lines. Then we heard this quiet voice saying where you could get them cheaper at a store in Seattle. She was so timid and nervous." She shook her head sadly. "The three of us ended up spending the rest of the day together. After we were done at the college we went shopping and to lunch and talked about our dreams of dancing on Broadway," She laughed. "And we saw something in Bella that she didn't. She was funny, smart, and sarcastic as hell at times. We became friends, and when we went to college we were in the same building and our friendship just flourished. Christmas was hard since Alice had lost her family and mine didn't even notice if I was there, so Bella invited us along with her and we went to Forks."

"Most boring and rainy place you can imagine," Alice added.

Rosalie smiled in agreement. "Charlie and Jacob really didn't like us." She said cheerfully.

"We heard them arguing one night, Bella, Jacob, and Charlie. They were complaining about how much she'd changed. How she had gotten an attitude and that is was our fault. She went ballistic on them, saying that she hadn't changed, that this was who she was, and who she'd always been. After she stormed out of the house, I heard them talking about how she needed to be reined in," Alice hissed in disgust.

"We couldn't believe how controlling they were. They manipulated her without her even realizing it. They had, over time, changed out she acted, how she thought, to the way they wanted her to. The next day, Christmas Eve, Jacob proposed."

I knew it wasn't rational, but not only did I feel an intense hatred for these men, but I felt a flare of uncontrollable jealousy at Rosalie's words. The thought of someone else touching Bella, kissing her, it drove me insane. I knew she wasn't a virgin when we met, but the thought of her being with Jacob, someone who obviously didn't deserve her drove me insane.

Rosalie must have sensed my reaction because she grinned. "They never had sex, Edward. Bella wasn't attracted to him and she kept putting it off. She lied, saying she wanted to wait until marriage. So you can reign in the green eyed monster. Obviously, she didn't mean that, but she always said she hated the thought of being with Jacob that way."

"Anyway," Alice continued. "On Christmas morning he announced in front of everyone that they were going to get married. Later that day we found her outside in tears. She didn't want to marry Jacob, but she was afraid. She didn't want to hurt Jacob or her dad. I never understood why she didn't just tell him to go screw himself. She didn't love him, didn't even like him at that point. But that's what manipulation is. They made her think that they were right. We had convinced her, finally, to end things with Jacob. He was coming to visit her, and we'd gotten through to her, she'd realized that she couldn't live the life they wanted her to have anymore, and was going to call off the wedding."

"But, Jacob was involved in a car accident on his way. He fell into a coma and they all blamed Bella. If she had stayed in Washington like they had said, then he wouldn't have been driving, would he? If she had stayed at home, like her father and Billy and Jacob had told her to, then Jacob would still be okay. And all the work and progress that she made was wiped out. Bella has blamed herself ever since. It was Renee who convinced her to go back to school. To try and have a life since the doctors told them that the chances of him waking up are slim. She goes back at Christmas and his birthday and that's it. And the entire time that she there, his family is horrible to her."

"He's in a coma?" I asked quietly.

"Yes, Edward, he has been for quite some time. But, while Bella moved on with her life, she promised that were he to wake up, she would return home. And stay this time." Alice warned me.

The guy was in a coma. Bella hadn't even wanted to marry him. The bastards had manipulated her and made her think that it was her fault. They had tried to crush the light that I loved so much.

"Edward, why did you think that she was so opposed to being with you, besides the obvious," Rosalie added. "It would kill her to lose you, Edward."

"Thank you for tell me." I muttered. It changed things.

I wasn't one to live by 'What if'. The guy was in a coma, with a chance of never waking up. Would I throw what I had with Bella away because of a 'what if'? Hell no.

I didn't like that she had kept it from me, but I understood. I also understood now why she was hesitant to be with me. I know some would judge her for that, but what was she supposed to do. Be alone for the rest of her life in case he woke up? Watch her life pass her by while she sat at the bedside of a man she didn't love, or even respect because he had helped make her life miserable?

No, I understood, when many would not. I also understood the guilt she must feel, being happy with me when he was lying in a coma somewhere. I couldn't bring myself to sympathize with him, but I could with her.

Eventually, we would have to talk about this and what it meant, but I'm glad I found out.

With that thought Bella walked through the door and smiled like she always did when she saw me. "Hi! What are you doing here?" She asked as she rushed into my arms.

"Edward just stopped by to ask if we were coming to the bar tonight," Alice lied smoothly for me.

I smiled at her gratefully. I had a lot of thinking to do, but one thing was for sure. I loved Bella and I think, maybe, she loved me. And that was worth fighting for.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N Hey you guys! (Goonies) Anyway, I think I'm doing pretty well tonight, two chapters up for two stories lol. What Is so great about reposting this story, aside from the lovely Liz, is that I get to read them all over again and read the parts I loved lol. So for those who don't know, in this chapter Rosalie is hiding a secret, one that effects pretty much everyone. Please read and review!**

**BPOV **

I was so tired. I felt like there was this huge weight covering every inch of my body. I thought the people who taught the class weren't supposed to be this exhausted afterward. I ached, I was tired, and I really, really wanted to kill Alice.

Something told me that Jasper would attempt to stop me, though. Rosalie was in as bad shape as I was, so she'd help.

I heard my door slowly open, but I didn't bother looking up. It could be Michael Meyers behind me, but I'm still not getting up for any one.

Suddenly, I felt an actual weight on my body and two strong arms wrap around my waist, soft lips pressing against my throat. I briefly considered screaming, until I inhaled deeply and smelled that scent. The one that drove me wild. Edward.

"Hi," I mumbled pathetically.

"Hi beautiful," He replied and I wondered If I'd ever tire of him saying things like that to me. "You look tired."

I rolled my eyes. "Ever the gentlemen."

He laughed as he kissed the tip of my nose, and my hand drifted to the small of his back.

"Come here," He whispered and pressed his lips softly to mine.

"So, how are you feeling?" He asked as he pulled away.

"Tired. Very tired." I mumbled. "And I ache," I added with a pout.

He seemed to think something over for a second and I saw a flicker of mischievousness as he grinned down at me. "Take off your shirt," he ordered.

"Edward, I'm not having sex with you," I told him bluntly.

He just laughed as he got to his feet. "Just take off your shirt, lie on your stomach and get your mind out of the gutter," He said and left the room.

"What happened to the romance?" I shouted after him and heard him laughing as the front door closed.

I did as he asked, muttering to myself, "Get your mind out of the gutter, my ass."

He walked back into my room and straddled my hips.

"I'm giving you a massage," he said as I heard him squirting massage oil into his hands. I inhaled deeply, liking the smell.

"When did you get lavender massage oil there, Eddie?" I teased.

"Emmett. He thought it would be a good idea, but girls never actually want to massage you. They want one and he wasn't so into that. Well, until Rosalie anyway, but I think he's too scared to tell her no." He chuckled.

I moaned as his skilled hands loosened the tense muscles in my back. He was amazing!

"Oh, my God, that feels so good." I moaned as he worked out every kink I'd ever had. I swear with his face, that body, and those hand's, the man could make millions.

"Should I be offended that you don't moan like this, or say stuff like that when we're making love?" He laughed.

When he did something to the space between my shoulder blades, I swear I almost passed out in pleasure.

"I swear, Bella, you really have to stop making those noises. Please?" He begged.

"Why Eddie?" I asked innocently.

"You know why," He answered darkly.

As he continued with his fabulous massage, I continued with the sounds, only louder this time because I knew it was starting at get to him and I found it funny.

Suddenly, I felt his lips press against the small of my back, he then began to kiss his way up my spine. Now and then I'd feel his tongue brush against my skin and, despite everything, I was overcome with desire.

"What are you doing?" I asked with a smile.

"Nothing. Just helping you relax," he answered between kisses.

"Okay, you do that," I sighed.

When he ran his tongue down my spine and his hands moved toward my inner thighs, I moaned... and then door crashed open. We looked up and saw Emmett standing there.

He grinned when he saw that Edward's hands and mouth were literally all over me. "Sorry guys. Rose wanted me to check to see if Bella was still breathing. But, I can see that you both... busy," He snickered. "Oh shit," He muttered when Edward jumped off of the bed, and me, and chased him out of the room.

When he came back in he looked at me and scowled.

"Why is you shirt back on?" He demanded.

I laughed and walked over to him as he stood in the doorway. "Later, lover boy," I whispered in his ear. I said it as seductively as I could manage in this state of exhaustion, and then brushed past him and headed down the stairs. I laughed when I heard him groan at what was not mean to be and follow after me.

He came and sat next to me on the couch as all our friends started teasing us about not using all the massage oil. Edward ignored them and pulled me to his side and I rested my head against his shoulder while he tenderly stroked my hair.

The next thing I knew, Edward was laying me back in my own bed and telling me that he'd come over tonight when he got off from work.

I woke up around four am with two arms wrapped around me, holding me to his chest. I glanced up and saw Edward sleeping comfortably, he looked so handsome and so peaceful as he slept. I closed my eyes and huddled closer to him, deciding that life couldn't get much better, and there was nowhere else I'd rather be than right here.

I wanted to be anywhere but here right now.

For the past week Rosalie had stormed around the house, snapping at me, Alice, and anyone else she came into contact with. Poor Emmett didn't know whether to scratch his watch or wind his ass. He had tried everything to get in her good graces, but that just seemed to piss her off more.

Alice and I were paying bills in the kitchen when we heard Rosalie storm into the house and we both groaned. We had tried everything to get to talk to us, but our concern had been answered with a 'Mind your own damn business.'

Rosalie stalked into the kitchen opened the fridge, and then slammed it shut before opening the freezer door. Then she slammed it shut, making Alice jump and then snap the pen she was writing with. A sure sign she was about to snap.

I was letting her throw her tantrums, brushing them off, Alice was ready to go for her throat. Alice had been doodling while I had been paying the bills, due to the fact that Alice tended to wait for the final notice demand before she even opened the envelope.

When Rosalie slammed another cupboard door shut Alice closed her eyes and counted to ten.

When that didn't work she turned to Rosalie and hissed, "What the hell is wrong with you?" And then she screamed when the lights went out.

"Calm down, honey," I reached out for her hand, trying to soothe her then made my way to the front door. I saw that every cabin was in darkness. In fact, I couldn't see any lights. Shit. "It looks like a power outage," I told them as I made my way back into the kitchen.

"Well, that's just fucking awesome," Rosalie bit out. "This entire place sucks! I wish I never came to this hell whole."

I stared at her in shock as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. That's it, something was definitely wrong and she was going to spill. Whether she liked it or not.

"That's it, Rosalie! You sit your bitchy ass down, right now!" I snapped. I'd had enough of her and her attitude.

I had been telling everyone to be patient, that when Rosalie was ready, she would tell us what was wrong. Edward had growled that if Rosalie snapped at me one more time, he wouldn't be able to keep quiet any longer. He was actually cute when he got all protective. The guys knew to keep out of the girl's business when it came to the three of them, but he'd had enough.

Rosalie stumbled her way to the table and sat down quietly and I noted with shock that she hadn't snapped back at me.

I sat down next to her. "We have been patient, supportive, and taken your shit because we knew that something must genuinely be wrong. We thought maybe it was something to do with Emmett, but he's just as confused as we are. And he's worried, Rosalie. So, what the hell is up with you, because I'm tired of you walking around with that giant stick shoved up your ass." I felt so much better after I got that out of my system.

I watched through the darkness as Rosalie looked down at the floor, twisting her hands together.

"I'm late." Rosalie whispered so quietly I thought I'd misunderstood her.

Then the impact of her words hit me like a battering ram.

"Late. As in late, late?" Alice asked, stunned.

"Yes."

We all just sat there in the darkness. For once, since we had met we had no idea what to say.

Suddenly, the back door came crashing open, making us all scream in fright.

The guy's came walking in.

"There was a blackout, so we thought we'd come and make sure you girls were alright," Jasper explained as we tried to calm ourselves.

We felt Rosalie tense as Emmett came walking in, and we knew she didn't want to face him, any of them, right now.

"Out!" Alice and I ordered, pointing towards the door they had just walked through.

"What?" They demanded, startled.

"You heard us. Out!" I snapped.

They all muttered to themselves as they filed out, obviously annoyed by our less than warm welcome and a part of me felt bad. They had come over here for us and we'd sent them packing.

But, Rosalie needed us and that's what was more important.

As soon as they closed the door behind them, we went to work. I gathered candles from around the cabin and brought them into the kitchen where we all seemed to agree we would be the setting for this particular moment in our lives. Alice went to get pillows to put on the floor and cursing like a sailor whenever she ran into something. Rosalie got all the ice cream we had out of the freezer, it would melt anyway, and spoons out of the drawer and we all made ourselves comfy on the pillows that Alice had scattered on the kitchen floor, surrounded my flittering candles and a pint of ice cream each.

We sat there in silence, patiently waiting for Rosalie to collect her thoughts.

"I was due to have a period a week ago. At first I thought it nothing, I was just late. I can't be pregnant, I'm on birth control. And then I remembered I'd gotten food poisoning off of that curry Emmett had tried to make and I'd taken medication. I looked it up and it can knock out the birth control." I heard her voice hitch and reached for her, taking her hand in mine as Alice shuffled along the floor to wrap her small arm around her waist.

"I had begun to feel better the next day and, well, we got carried away. I was so stupid, I always make him use a condom. Especially, when we first got together. But that night he'd been so gentle and tender, it just slipped my mind. I can't believe I was such an idiot! I can't believe it didn't occur to me, what with the medication and all that throwing up.." She groaned in frustration.

We sat there in silence, giving her some time to collect herself.

"Why didn't you say something? We could have helped." Alice told her gently.

"I was hoping it would all just go away. That I would get my period and everything would go back to normal. But it didn't and telling you would only make it real. I kept waiting for it to come with no luck and every day I just got angrier and angrier. And I'd take it out on you. I'm so sorry. You don't deserve that." I could hear the shame in her voice and it made my heart clench.

"No, we're sorry. We are your friend's, your family. We should have been there for you." Alice replied.

Rosalie laughed without humor. "How could you be there for me when I wouldn't talk to you?"

"Have you told Emmett?" I asked.

"No," She answered quietly.

"Have you seen a doctor?"

She shook her head. "If I go and see him, then he'll tell me I'm pregnant and I don't think I can take it."

"Have you taken a pregnancy test?" Alice asked, rubbing her back in slow circles.

"I have a one, but I'm afraid. What if it's positive?"

"Well, it has to be better than what you're going through now." I pointed out. "It could be all for nothing."

"I have never been late a day in my life." She argued.

"Rosalie, sometimes women have irregular periods. It's just another joy of being a woman. It doesn't mean they're pregnant," Alice said rolling her eyes.

"I'm scared, Alice," Rosalie snapped. "If I take that test and it's positive, then my whole life changes. I'm not ready for a baby and Emmett isn't, either. I love him, but we're just not ready yet."

"I thought you wanted children one day," I murmured, slightly shocked that she was so against being pregnant. I completely agreed she wasn't ready, but she'd always talked about being a mother. I had assumed a part of her would be happy at the idea.

"I do, but not right now. I've just started this amazing job and this whole new life. I love Emmett, but I still don't know so much about him. I want to be able to get the chance for that before we have a baby together! I'm not ready for a baby," She added firmly. "I just can't be pregnant."

"There's only one way to find out, Rose." I pointed out softly.

She looked at me with wide blue eyes. "What if I am and Emmett freaks? I can't do it alone."

Alice hugged her. "You are never alone, Rosie. You have us. If you are pregnant, then we'll be here every step of the way. You will never be alone."

"Besides," I added as I pulled them both into my arms. "If he did freak, we'd beat the shit out of him." I teased.

She pulled away, wiping tears away from her eyes. "I have, like, ten tests upstairs." She admitted with a slight smile.

Alice smiled brightly. "Well, let's go and find out if you're going to be a mama." She laughed and held out her hand.

Rosalie breathed deeply and took her hand.

"Did you need to use all of them?" I demanded as Rosalie paced, her test's placed on the table.

"Yes," She snapped. She was just a tad tense.

She had nearly backed out again upstairs and I didn't blame her. Her life was perfect at the moment and this would change everything. If it were me, I would have ignored it until either it went away, or I went into labor.

To help Rosalie relax, Alice and I had used one of her many tests, both had come back negative, which was a load off of my mind.

"One minute left," Alice informed us, using the stopwatch on her cell phone.

Rosalie took a deep breath. "I would just like to apologize once again. I should have handled all this differently. Better. I was just afraid and angry and a coward."

"It's okay. Your forgiven." Alice smiled up at her and shrugged. "Sometimes, we take things out on the people we care about most. We've all done it at one point or the other."

"I love you guys." Rosalie answered.

"And we love you," Alice answered before glancing down at the cell phone. "Ready?"

Rosalie took a deep breath. "No." And then she picked up one of the many pregnancy tests and the room was silent. I don't think we even breathed as we waited for her to speak.

"To hell with it," Alice muttered as Rosalie just stood there in silence, staring down at the white stick in her hand that decided her fate.

"Yes!" Alice squealed and wrapped both arms around Rosalie, who was still frozen.

I joined her when I saw the results and then pulled back to look up at Rosalie who still hadn't budged.

"This is a cause for celebration, right?" I asked uncertainly.

Rosalie looked down at me. "Are you kidding?" She mumbled. "Hell yes, it is!" She squealed and hugged us back fiercely.

"It's not just wishful thinking, right? They do say negative?" She demanded, obviously afraid it was all just some mind game, giving her the answer she wanted.

"While you went into deep freeze," Alice teased her, holding up the other tests, "I checked the others. They're all negative. You're not pregnant. You never were, you dummy. You've been freaking out for no reason."

We all laughed in relief. None of us were eager for any changes in our lives right now.

"So," I began as we wiped the tears from our eyes. "Wine?"

"Yes!" They squealed.

An hour later we were in the living room, the fire roaring behind us, talking about the past week. How Rosalie had been unbearable to be around and could laugh now at how awful she had been and how if she had just taken a test none of this would have happened.

It was as we lay there, the wine giving us a slight buzz, that Rosalie spoke her latest fear.

"How am I going to tell Emmett? He deserves an explanation."

"Why don't you call him around in the morning?" Alice suggested as she yawned. "We'll go out and give you two a chance to really talk."

"What if he's mad at me?" She whispered. "Not only did I not tell him about something that would affect the rest of his life, but I was horrible to him. And then, to top it off, I told you before I told him."

Alice laughed. "I think the guys have come to expect that where we're involved. It's what makes them special."

"Still, he has every right to throttle me."

"I think they all have that urge on a daily basis." I laughed.

"Rose, he knows you. Just explain everything to him. He'll understand. And if he's mad that you told us first then maybe he doesn't know you as well as we think he does."

"The three of us do have an unhealthy relationship," I smiled.

"No." Rosalie disagreed. "You two are a part of me. Like an arm or a leg." She laughed.

"We are close, but I wouldn't change that for anyone." Alice agreed.

"Me either." I agreed.

"I love you, guys," Alice mumbled as she patted my face.

"Ow," I complained.

We fell asleep on the living room floor, tired, drunk, and relieved that for now, things were still the same.

**EPOV **

I rolled onto my back. I'd had a crappy night's sleep without Bella here to keep me company. I had spent most of the night wondering what the hell could be going on over there. It had to be something big. Even in the dark, I had seen that Bella was upset.

Luckily, I had the night off, so I wouldn't be walking around like a zombie.

My eyes snapped open when I heard a floor board creek. There was Bella, looking fresh faced, leaning against the wall in her snug, worn out jeans.

"Hi," I mumbled.

"Hey, Hot stuff," She smiled, pushing herself off of the wall and walked over to the bed. "I owe you a huge apology. I shouldn't have kicked you out like that. I shouldn't have snapped at you that way." Her brown eyes were full of remorse and I heard the emotion in her voice as I sat up on the edge of the bed, pulling her to me so that she was standing between my legs.

"Hey, no apology needed." I assured her when I realized that she was upset about it. "An explanation would be good, though." I smiled as I ran my hands up her back.

"Rosalie thought she might have been pregnant."

My wandering hands froze. "What? Is that why she's been such a bitch to everyone all week?" I asked and then winced when she punched me in my shoulder. Hard.

"She's been through a lot this week, Edward." She scolded me.

"Why didn't she tell anyone? Or did you know already?" I asked suspiciously.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Yeah, me and Alice knew the entire time," She replied sarcastically. "Of course we didn't know. She finally told us that night," She smiled suddenly. "Just seconds before you guys burst in."

"She didn't tell you?" I asked in astonishment. The girls told each other everything. They were closer than sisters.

Bella shrugged one shoulder as she ran her hands up and down my arms.

"She was afraid. She didn't want anything to change and she was worried how Emmett would react if she were."

"She didn't tell him? Dammit, he had a right to know that he might be a father." I said angrily.

Bella just smiled patiently. "It's a big thing, Edward. She was afraid and needed some time to get things sorted. She could barely admit it to herself, never mind Emmett and how he would react."

"He would have stood by her." I said with absolute certainty.

Emmett may have his immature moments and act like a playboy, but he was a good man. And he loved Rosalie. He would have loved their baby, too.

"I think she knows that now. She's talking to him over at our place as we speak."

"Would you have told me?" I demanded.

Bella laughed. "I actually did take a test last night, but it was negative." She explained when my jaw dropped. "It was to calm Rosalie down. And you bet your ass I would. If there was even the slightest chance I'd drag your ass over and make sure you were going to take responsibility. It takes two to make a baby, Buddy." She teased as she poked my shoulder.

"And what fun that could be," I murmured as I ran my hands over the back of her thighs and over her ass, pressing her close to me.

I dropped back onto the bed, pulling her down on top of me.

"Don't get any Idea's," She giggled. "After the night I've had, you're not getting any unless we double up."

"As you wish." I answered as I kissed her neck and then captured her mouth with mine in a long, hot, slow kiss.

**A/N Bit of a Princess Bride quote for you. Oh Wesley... I there is any notes written on there, I apologise, I am so tired I actually fell asleep earlier with Blake Shelton blasting in the background. Don't know how that happened...**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N Hi guys! Here is the next chapter. I hope you like it, it was so much fun to write! Please read and review!**

**BPOV **

It had been a few days since Rosalie's pregnancy scare. The power had come back on during the middle of the night, we just hadn't realized it.

Rosalie had sat Emmett down the next morning and told him everything, apologizing for not only keeping it from him, but taking it on out him in the process. Rosalie had told us later that day that he had been so sweet and understanding, taking her into his arms and assuring her that she can tell him anything and it would never change the way he felt about her. She had smiled and told us she's never been so happy to be a 'fucking idiot' before.

Now, all we wanted was to do was go and blow off some steam after the week from hell and a very emotionally draining night. Our classes tomorrow started in the afternoon, so we decided to go down to New Moon and dance until the guys got off work and could join us.

"Please?" I begged leaning over the bar.

"Bella, we're too busy." Edward apologized as he rushed around getting customers their drinks.

"But, I want to dance, Edward. And I want to feel your body against mine," I added seductively, checking his ass out.

My plan worked and he froze and walked over to me, ignoring the complaints of Jasper and Emmett who were trying to get the lines down.

He smiled at me over the bar and ran his fingers down my cheek. "Bella," he whispered in my ear, brushing his lips against my skin. "Later," He grinned and stood back.

I scowled and rested my hands on my hips. "You, Edward Masen, are an asshole. I'm going to go find a guy out there who doesn't mind dancing with me because my dick of a boyfriend would rather do his job," I threw my hands up in the air.

He smirked. "You do that, sweetie and I'll be out when I can." Then he turned his back to me and continued with his orders.

"Asshole," I muttered when I reached the girls.

They just laughed at me. "We didn't have any luck, either. Don't worry about it." Rosalie grinned as she scanned the crowd.

"What are you doing?" Alice demanded after a few seconds.

"Looking for someone to dance with," She shrugged.

"What? Are we not good enough for you?" I asked pretending to be offended.

"Oh, Bella, if I am going to let anyone grab my ass, it would be you two. But, look!" She said pointing to three men in the crowd.

"Oh no," Alice groaned. "No way are we dancing with those men."

"Rosalie," I growled.

"Come on, they're making progress in class. It will be fun." She sang as she nudged me with her elbow.

"Fine," we groaned and headed out to the dance floor.

Twenty minutes later, we were still laughing. We decided that John, Mark and Dean were lost causes. They were here for a medical convention and had decided to get dance classes to impress their girlfriends back home. We doubted that would happen. We were dance instructors, not miracle workers.

We were laughing at the guys' latest dance moves when we noticed our guy's standing behind us.

I smiled brightly; I had been waiting to dance with him all night.

At least I was smiling until Edward grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the bar. I glanced back and saw that the same had happened with the girls and I turned to wave at the boys and flash them a smile so they wouldn't be worried. The guys waved back and continued with their horrible dance moves. We really need to do something about that, I thought as they disappeared from view.

I was still smiling at the thought when I noticed Edward, Jasper, and Emmett's faces and the anger in their eyes. Not good.

They were standing there, arms folded over their chests, glaring down at us.

Alice, Rosalie and I glance at each other. 'What's the problem?' was the unspoken question between us.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Emmett hissed at Rosalie.

"Dancing?" Rosalie questioned, confused after giving us a look to that said, 'What do I say?'

"Yes." Edward snapped, glaring at me. He was furious and I had no idea why.

"Um, guys?" Alice spoke up. "What's wrong?" I was glad she asked the question we were all dying to know.

"What's wrong," Jasper ground out, "Is that the three of you having been draping yourselves over other men all night."

Seriously, I thought. That's what all this was about?

"We were just dancing with them. They-"

"Yeah right," Emmett scoffed, interrupting me. Jackass! "You were all over them, while we were watching for crying out loud!" He growled.

Rosalie snapped at his tone. "Yeah, well, we told them that we didn't usually do this, but they were special," She drawled. Alice smirked when Rosalie threw their past in their faces. Even I had to bite the inside of my cheek.

"Are you ever going to let that go?" Edward bit out coldly.

Okay, I'd had enough. I could see that they were genuinely upset and I hated myself for doing that. I had to admit I wouldn't have liked it if I saw Edward dancing with another woman, but they wouldn't let us explain and their attitude was starting to get to me. We had never given them any reason to believe we were those 'type' of girls. And, before tonight, we had never thrown it back in their faces. We were actually putting a lot of trust in them, when many girls wouldn't.

"Well, since you drug us out here like cavemen because you saw us dancing... with our students! Then, hell yes, we're going to throw it in your faces. Not everyone is like how you guys were." I snapped.

"Really? Because the way you were pressed up against them, it sure did look like it." Emmett snarled.

My eyes widened at his words.

"Are you saying we looked like sluts?" Rosalie demanded her face a picture of fury in its purest form.

Emmett shrugs, too angry or too dumb to see the dangerous glint in her eyes. "Well, if the shoe-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence because Rosalie kneed him in the groin and he hit the deck with a grunt.

"Bastard!" She hissed and walked away.

The pain obviously drained some of the anger out of him, because he found it in himself to drag himself up from the floor and chase after her. "Rosie!"

Alice glowered at Jasper. "I can't believe you. We having been giving those guys classes since they got here. I have told you all about them. I pointed them out to you a couple of days ago. And we were having fun until you ruined it. Why I put my faith in you in you, I don't know? You obviously don't have any faith in me." She paused and I could see she was getting upset. "You're not worth it." And with that, she turned around and left in the same direction as Rosalie.

Jasper must have seen the hurt in her eyes a long with the anger because it snapped him out of it.

"Alice, darlin'!" He chased after her, leaving Edward and I alone.

I stood there waiting for him to say something, anything. I'm sure that he could see the anger and the hurt in my eyes, but he never spoke. I waited for him to say it was all just a misunderstanding and it was just anger and jealousy talking. But he never did. Say something, I wanted to scream. But he just stood there, staring at me. I did the best to shut off my emotions from him and walked away.

When I got home, both girls were asleep in my bed. I guessed we all needed someone tonight.

* * *

I walked into the living room the next morning and crashed onto the sofa. Rosalie was sprawled out on the other. Both of us were still thinking about last night. I was shocked when Alice came skipping into the room.

"Why are you so pleasant?" Rosalie demanded as Alice twirled around.

"We are young, beautiful, smart, and independent women and we do not need a man to complete us." Alice said with conviction.

"What kind of self- help book did you get that from?" She asked dryly.

"Actually, I think she got that out of Freaky Friday," I laughed for the first time since the break-up. Ouch. Break up. That hurt. I groaned as I covered my face with my hands.

"Enough," Alice snapped at us. "We are not going to sit here and mope around because of them." Alice spat out the word 'them' like it was a dirty word.

"And what are we going to do then, oh wise one?" Rosalie asked sarcastically.

"Well, first, you're going to get up off your asses. Now!" She ordered when didn't move.

With a groan of complaint we hauled ourselves up, on got to our feet, and waited for further instructions.

Alice danced over to the CD player and pressed a button. _Irreplaceable_ by Beyoncé filled the room.

I burst out laughing. I laughed because we have played this particular song so many times. It was from the mixed CD we had made, called the 'The Breakup'. When Alice had been through a particularly bad break up, Rosalie and I had made it her to cheer her up and remind her that she didn't need a guy to make her happy.

We spent the next two hours dancing around the living room, laughing and burning pictures of the guys. We had read it in a book and thought it was an excellent idea. Of course, all of this had been helped a long after the consumption of three bottles of wine.

We then watched _Titanic, Romeo and Juliet_, _Tristan and Isolde_ and _The Notebook_, because all of them ended with at least one of them dying.

Later, we dragged ourselves up to bed, not bothering to check one of the forty messages we had gotten throughout the night. In the end we had just taken the phone off of the hook.

**EPOV **

I lay there in bed, picturing Bella's face over and over again in my mind. It was over and all because when I had seen her in another man's arms, jealousy and burning hot rage had spread through me. I twisted and turned but sleep was yet again evading me.

I had just lost the girl I loved and I didn't know where to go from here.

**BPOV **

I woke up the next morning in Alice's bed alone. Better get used to that, I thought as I got out of bed.

In the kitchen, the girls were at the table with coffee, orange juice and a crap load of aspirin.

"Morning," I mumbled as I downed a glass of orange juice. They grinned in response.

"We went through the messages," Alice told me as she handed me a piece of toast.

"I'm guessing none were from Mr. Silence?" I asked dryly.

"Sorry," Rosalie apologized, her eyes full of sympathy.

I closed my eyes against the tears that threatened to spill.

"Don't be. I waited for him to say something, anything. To even yell at me and stick by his actions, but he just stood there! Emmett and Jasper have called and sent flowers and stood outside screaming for you to forgive them. And you kneed Emmett in the balls. And he couldn't even talk to me!" I burst out. "I don't know what I wanted him to say that would have made it better, but I wanted him to at least try. But he didn't. So, he either believes that I'm a whore from hell or he just doesn't care if we're together or not."

"Edward loves you." Alice told me with conviction.

"Alice, he has never told me that. And even if he did, where is he?"

I huffed, not wanting to talk about this and changed the subject.

"So, how are you going to make Emmett and Jasper pay?" I asked. They laughed the mood lifting.

"We're planning on going into the bar, looking hotter than ever, and flirting with other guys. Childish, I know, but it will drive them insane." Alice said with confidence.

"And you're coming, too." Rosalie told me.

"Why?" The last thing I wanted was to see Edward.

"You are not going to sit around here. You are coming with us and showing that prick just what he's missing out on."

I weighed my options. I could sit around here every night until Edward brought back one of his 'special' girls or I could go to the bar and at least act as if everything was fine, that I didn't need him. I had to show Edward that he doesn't have the power to hurt me. It was a no brainer.

Later that night, Rosalie, Alice, and I walked into the bar looking confident and sexy. Well, that's what I hoped I looked like.

We had spent an hour picking out the perfect outfits while they had informed me of their plans and what would happen tonight. One of them being, no forgiving the guys. Rosalie had aimed that one at Alice, who had rolled her eyes and told her to give her some credit.

We spent the first hour on the dance floor when we spotted John, Mark, and Dean.

I glanced up and saw the guys behind the bar, all of them looking gorgeous, as usual, but tired. When I saw Edward leave the bar, I breathed a sigh of relief and went to order our drinks. As planned.

I walked right up to Emmett and Jasper who were filling drink orders, but as soon as I walked up to the bar, Jasper stopped what he was doing and made his way over to me.

"Three rum and cokes, please." I ordered casually.

Emmett looked over at me suspiciously and joined us.

"What are you girls doing?" He asked through narrowed eyes.

I rolled my eyes, acting very cool and casual and blasé. "We're thirsty." I informed him slowly as if I worried about his mental abilities.

Jasper made the drinks and handed them over. I didn't bother to pay. As payment for the weekend with their mothers, we now had free drinks for life.

"What are you doing with those guys?" Emmett scowled at me.

Did the man never learn, I thought despite the fact that it was a part of Alice's plan? Jasper wisely kept his mouth shut. At least one of them was learning.

And here it was. My big moment, the one line that I had been given, when Alice had predicted how the guys would react.

"We're dancing." I paused for dramatic effect. "What we do after the dance, well, that's up to us."

With that, I walked back into the crowd; leaving both men open mouthed behind me.

**A/N Well? What did you guys think? Would you have kneed them in the balls? I would. Leave a review and let me know. Next chapter asap.**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N Hi guys! Here is the next chapter. Please remember that this is me and I love the cheesy, corny, mushy stuff. I am a hopeless romantic and I say it with pride. So this is like my caution warning for all of you who cringe and the corny stuff, lol. Please review!**

**BPOV **

"This is bad," I said from the bottom of the stairs.

"This is so bad," Rosalie agreed as she sat next to me.

An hour ago Alice had come home, gone straight into the kitchen, and then walked up stairs with onion rings and a bottle of wine without saying a word to either of us. Then the music started.

Cher, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Jana Kramer, and more…all songs about losing love and moving on. At first we thought it was her cheering herself up, until we'd heard her singing to _Taillights' Blue_ at the top of her lungs, crying.

We had run up to comfort her, but she'd locked us out.

"Something must have happened," Rosalie snapped. "What the hell did Jasper do?"

I scowled. "Let's go find out."

**EPOV **

I was flicking through the TV channels when the girl I loved came storming into the living room with Rosalie hot on her heels.

Emmett looked up from the computer screen, but Rosalie didn't even glance at him. Bella didn't look at me, either.

They looked furious and I actually felt for Jasper when they loomed over him.

"What did I do?" He asked quietly.

"You fix this," They growled.

"She won't talk to me." He answered, guessing that this was about Alice.

"I don't care if you crawl over hot fire on your hands and knees only to have her stomp on your heart when you get there, you fix it." Bella snapped.

"How can I when she won't let me?" He demanded. "Besides, I saw her earlier and she looked rather happy to me," he sneered.

They looked at each other.

"Explain." They ordered.

"I was in town and I saw her chatting to someone."

"That doesn't make sense," Bella muttered to herself more than to Jasper.

"Who were you with?" Rosalie demanded.

Jasper rolled his eyes. "No one! Well, Maria stopped by when she heard about mine and Alice's fight, but I told her to take a hike."

I'm pretty sure that if they had Jedi minds tricks, Jasper wouldn't be breathing right now.

"Don't start on me! She's been in the bar every night dancing with men and rubbing my face in the fact that I can't do anything about it. I'm sure her seeing Maria come on to me hasn't hurt her," he tried to sound convincing, but I saw him frown as if he doubted his own words.

"Fine!" Bella snapped. "She's over there singing her heart out to Alan Jackson!"

"Fix this Jasper. Or we'll fix you." Rosalie threatened and with one last glare, they left.

That was the last time we'd spoken to any of them. It had been over a week and we were all going stir crazy. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't work. I was turning into a total chick and I didn't care.

It was different with us than it was for the others. Alice and Rosalie were furious with Emmett and Jasper, but they looked at them the way that Bella had looked at me. I knew what we had said was so far over the line, but I was just too angry to calm myself down and realize that this was Bella. She would never intentionally hurt me. But by then we were arguing, and things that we didn't even mean were being said and I couldn't stop it. And then she's shut down on me and I knew we were over. She had shut me out and I didn't know how to tear the wall I could see forming between us. It had scared me more than anything I could possibly imagine.

God, I missed her. I missed being able to reach out and pull her into my arms, to press my face into her hair and just... breathe her in.

Emmett must have been thinking the same thing, because he slammed the remote control he'd been wearing out down, making Jasper almost jump out of his skin.

"What the hell?" Jasper snapped.

We had all been pissy with each other lately, each blaming the other for that night's events.

"I'm tired of this. They won't talk to us. They dance with others guys at the bar just to piss us off. Maybe we should be mad at them, huh?" Emmett boomed.

"Oh, yeah, we basically call them tramps and we should be pissed at them," Jasper replied sarcastically.

"Yeah, dude, I agree with Jazz. We were in the wrong. Besides, Bella, she's not mad at me. She's just done." I said sadly.

"Oh, man up! This is why Bella dumped your ass in the first place."

"What?" I asked confused.

Emmett just rolled his eyes. "Figure it out, asshole! I'm going to going to go and fight for my woman. I suggest you both do the same," and then stormed out of the house.

"Is he really going over there?" I asked incredulously. The last time he had tried, Alice and Bella had threatened to shave his balls with a rusty blade.

Jasper and I looked at each other.

"Shit." We cursed at the same time and ran after the poor bastard before he got himself killed.

**BPOV **

I sniffled into my sleeve as the girls and I watched the movie. Tonight we had decided to ditch the club and stay in and watch the Sex and the City movie.

We were all crying at this point, as we watched Samantha break-up with Smith on the television screen.

"Why would she break up with him? They could have made it work." Alice hiccupped.

"Because she was losing who she was by being with him. If she had stayed then she would have lost herself completely." Rosalie answered.

We all screamed when the door was thrown open, and Emmett came stomping through the door, turning the lights on, blinding us.

"Jesus, Emmett! My eyes!" Rosalie shouted at him.

"I can't take it, anymore. I'm sorry, baby. Please forgive me," he begged as he dropped to his knees in front of her.

"Oh, get up. You look pathetic," She snapped as she dragged him up by his shirt.

Edward walked through the door. "Bella, we have to talk," he said with determination.

"We really don't." I answered just as determined.

The Jasper walked in.

"What the hell is this?" Rosalie shouted.

"Why are you here?" Alice demanded.

"Ali, I love you. I hate being without. Please, just talk to me," He begged. His face looked so sad that even I wanted to cry for him.

"No," She answered simply. Obviously his baby blues didn't work on her.

Rosalie snickered at Alice's response. I would have, too, if I didn't feel Edward's eyes on me. I couldn't look at him, though. I didn't want to.

Soon enough they were all yelling at each other. They men were pleading and begging for forgiveness one minute, then shouting that they were being unreasonable and pig headed the next. Alice and Rosalie never even stopped shouting. Saying how stupid they were if they thought that by giving some lame ass apology, that they would forgive them. Once or twice, Rosalie threw something at Emmett's head.

After what seemed like forever, I mumbled that I was going to the bathroom. Little did they know that I was sneaking out, I just needed some time to myself. And I knew that if I had just told them that, then Edward would follow me. So, I did what any girl in my situation would do. I climbed out the bathroom window.

After falling flat on my face and cursing all window frames, I made my way to the front porch steps and sat down, looking up at the stars.

**EPOV **

I had been watching the door for the past fifteen minutes. Bella still hadn't come out yet. Man, she wouldn't even look me in the eye when she was in the room with me. She just stood there silently. While everyone around us was screaming, we were silent.

Then she had abruptly announced that she needed the bathroom and had left, saying she'd be right back. That was fifteen minutes ago. What was taking so long?

"Guys!" I yelled to get their attention.

"What?!" They all snapped at me.

Wow, they could be intimidating.

"Um... Bella has been in there for a long time. I wonder what's keeping her."

"Dude! You don't ask what a girl does in the bathroom." Emmett said disgustedly as he rolled his eyes.

Rosalie and Alice smiled at each other.

"Honey, I'd bet a thousand buck's that she climbed out of the window. Quite an accomplishment, especially in three inch heels." Alice giggled.

"What?" I snapped, rushing over to the bathroom door. "Bella? I'm coming in!" I warned before I opened the door. Alice was right, Bella was nowhere to be seen and the window was wide open.

"Told you," Alice said smugly.

I followed her out of the window. It didn't take long to find her since she was on the goddamn front porch, happily looking up at the stars.

"What the hell are you doing?" I demanded as I stormed up to her.

"I was getting some peace and quiet." She replied with a sharp edge to her voice.

"Sit down," I ordered when she went to stand up.

"No." She answered and got to her feet.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" I exploded. "Do you want to know what's wrong with you girls?"

She had been walking away from me, but was now slowly turning to face me again. When she placed her hands on her hips, I knew I was in trouble, but too pissed off to care.

"What? What's our problem?" She asked too calmly for my liking.

"You're too goddamn strong headed. You never listen. You never give us a chance."

"You called us slut's!" She screamed at me.

"We explained about that," I snapped back. "But you, especially, are too stubborn for you own good. You won't even allow yourself to see it from our side."

My words seemed to anger her. "Your side? Your side! Do you want to know what your problem is, Edward? You want to change me." She said before I could answer. "When we met, you liked that I danced with anyone. That I didn't see it as a potential hook up, but just for fun. How I didn't flip out if a guy tried dancing with me. But when we're a couple you expect me to hang on your every word all night."

"You were dancing with other guys," I defended myself.

"They were clients!" She shouted back at me.

"I didn't know that at the time."

"You know what your biggest problem is, Edward? You have no balls."

"Excuse me." I answered with a blank expression.

"You heard me. No balls."

"How is that me? Besides, I don't want to change you. I don't want you to hang on my every word. Last week, I was an ass. But you have to understand it from my point of view." I pleaded with her.

"Explain then." She snapped, crossing her arms over her chest.

Part of me was angry, but another part of me was relieved that we were finally getting it out in the open.

I took a deep breath and begun my explanation. "I have never cared about anyone the way I care about you. Me and the guys used to go out, get girls, and fool around for a while."

"There had better be a point here." She interrupted me, her tone Icy.

I tried to hide my smile.

"If you value you testicles, I would wipe that smirk off of your face."

The smile was gone as soon as she threatened my testicles.

"Like I was saying, we never really cared about anyone. We just hung out. Then we met you, and yeah, we didn't have the best start, but even before I knew who you were, I wanted to know you. And then, after everything, we were finally together and, I don't know..."

"Well, that helps," I heard her mutter. I glared at her and she glared right back.

"As I was saying. When you were dancing with those guys, having them touch you, my inner caveman came out." I shrugged. "And I couldn't stop it. I wouldn't want to. So, yeah, when I saw you and the girls dancing with some dicks I didn't know, I took about a thousand steps back in the evolutionary chain, but it's what happened. I can't change that. I was mad and we all said a bunch of stuff that we didn't mean. I was a dick, but you have to talk to me. I didn't mean any of it. I miss you." I added quietly.

"So that's it? That's your big explanation. You got a case of the caveman's and that's supposed to make everything better?" She sounded angry. "What about me, Edward? I have never held your past against you. When we got together, I never threw any of it in your face. Yet, you, you took your petty jealousy out on me. You let it control you. You made me feel like I was some kind of tramp for dancing with some guys who I happen to get along with. And what's worst is that it changed every thought I had about you, and about what we had together."

I could see tears glaze her eyes and I truly hated myself for hurting her. I took a step towards her, but froze when she took a step back.

"Bella, I never meant to hurt you. I didn't, don't, think you are a tramp. I think you're the most amazing person in the world."

She looked at me with sad, tired eyes. "Everyone says that, Edward. Very little mean it. If you had meant it, then you would have just asked me what was going on. Or told me that it was making you uncomfortable and I would have stopped. But you didn't. Instead you call us sluts."

"I never said that," I objected. "I would never call you that."

"Sometimes you don't need to hear the actual words to hear the meaning behind them."

I walked to her, ignoring her when she backed away and continued on until I was holding her in my arms.

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean any of it. I think you're wonderful."

"Words!" She snapped, as she shoved me away from her. "Just words, Edward. Everyone can say them, very few actually mean them. If I was so wonderful then you would have never reacted that way. You would have known that I wasn't capable of cheating on you."

I stood there, frozen, as her words sank in and I desperately tried to figure out how to fix things.

"That's twice. Twice in a week when you've just stood there. Why can't you just say something?"

"What do you want me to say?" I yelled back. "That I'm sorry? I did that. That I will, willingly beg on my hands and knees, for as long as it takes for you to forgive me? I will. What do you want me to say and I'll say it."

She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "You had your chance and you didn't say anything." She shoved me as she walked past me and away from the cabin.

I ran after her. "What does that mean?" I asked, keeping up with her brisk pace.

"It means, dumbass, that you had your chance and that you didn't take it."

I grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to stop walking.

"Explain." I ordered.

"Explain? Are you that dense? You just stood there! Jasper tried to stop Alice. He begged for just the chance to apologize, never mind the real thing. Emmett got kneed in the junk and he still dragged his ass off of the floor to go after Rosalie. But you? You just stood there. You didn't even saying anything. You watched me walk away and you didn't even bother to come after me. If that's how you are with someone that you care about, then I don't want to be that person." She snapped and pushed past me. Again.

Everything made sense now. That's why she was so hurt. Because I didn't say anything, because I didn't fight for her. Remembering Emmett's words from earlier tonight, I realized he must have known. Bastard could have told me.

Bella thought that because I didn't follow her, than I must not really care. I also realized that I had never really told her how much she meant to me. I had put it off, chickened out. I should have just told her the truth. That I loved her more than anything.

So, I finally stopped standing there like a moron and chased after the girl I loved. I grabbed hold of her arms and pulled her to a stop and pulled her close to me.

"If you never believe a single word I say to you, please, just listen to what I'm saying now. Do you want to know what I froze?"

"Yes," She said, her tone implying the 'Duh'.

"Your eyes," I answered honestly. "I've told you before that I have always been able to read people. But, with you, I can never tell what you're going to do next. I can never tell what you're thinking, unless I look into your eyes. You give everything away, without even knowing it. The other night, I could tell everything you were thinking. Anger, pain, betrayal, but I saw hurt above all else. And then the most terrifying thing happened. I couldn't see a thing in them and I realized that you'd shut me out. And that scared the hell out of me and I froze. I was trying to think of a way to fix things, but I couldn't see one."

"You didn't even try," She whispered. "The guys called, sent flowers, and serenaded them at one point. You did nothing. How can I believe I mean so much to you, when you didn't even fight for me?"

I groaned at my own stupidity. "You want to know what I was doing. I was sulking. I hated myself for messing everything up between us. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw your face. I saw the hurt that I had put there with my careless actions and I hated myself. I had lost everything I cared about."

"Please, please don't say it, if you don't mean it." She whispered, tears streaking down her petal soft cheeks.

I smiled. "I spent most of my life keeping women at a distance, because I was so afraid of what could happen if it ended badly. I would use them and then toss them away and I'm not proud of that. Then I saw you in the gym and I wanted you from the second I saw you. I cursed myself to high heaven when I thought you'd left. But the part of me that was still afraid was glad. You could never hurt me, right? So, I carried on my asshole ways, all the time thinking of this girl. This nameless girl who just wouldn't go away," I chuckled. "Then, like fate was telling me to strap on a pair," I joked. "You were next door, the entire time…hating me. But you were there and suddenly you had a name. And I didn't want just the face anymore, I wanted Bella. The real thing and I will always want you." I whispered.

"So, there it is my pebble throwing, flowers, and hand and knees apology. It may be a little late, but it's there. Please, believe me when I say that if I thought you wanted me there with the guys, I would have been. And I would have put them to shame. You are the most precious this in my world, Bella.

"You hurt me," She answered, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"I know," I choked out. "But, if you will let me, I promise, I'll make it up to you." I could see the indecision in her eyes. "Please Bella," I begged, brushing my lips against her forehead. "I want you back. I want to hold you and kiss you. I am nothing without you. Please." I whispered.

She bit her lip and nodded her head shakily.

I didn't waste another second. I hauled her body even closer to mine and pressed my lips firmly against hers. It was like coming home. I deepened the kiss, drowning in the taste of her and the feel of her tongue as it brushed against mine.

Eventually, I pulled away and rested my forehead against hers.

"I love you," I whispered.

I felt her freeze. I started to pull away to look down at her, but she dragged my mouth back to hers. The tears were pouring down her cheeks and she looked like she was in pain.

"I was hoping to put off this part," She admitted. "Edward, I have something to tell you and I'm scared." She looked so lost and so afraid that I knew what it could only be and pulled her back for another, long, hot kiss.

"I know." I told her as I pulled away.

Her eyes flew open. "You know? How?" She demanded.

"Jessica told me. I went to find you, but Alice and Rosalie were there and explained everything."

"So, you know what will happen if he wakes up." She whispered, searching my eyes for any sign of what I was thinking.

Now it was my time to feel scared. "I know."

"And you're still here?" She demanded incredulously.

"Bella, I love you. I may not be offering you a ring, right now, but I'm offering you me. As long as you'll have me. The girls told me everything and I thought long and hard about this. I know it would hurt if you left, but it would hurt more if I never got to love you. Whether its ten years or ten days, I want you with me."

"Edward, I don't want a ring," She laughed. "I just want you, only you."

"I'm yours."

Just before we reached the cabin, I pulled her to a stop.

"What is it? Think one of them killed the other and it's a blood bath in there? I'm betting on Alice." Bella laughed.

I smiled at her. "Dance with me."

"What?"

"Dance with me, right here."

"But there's no music," She pointed out.

I shrugged as I pulled her into my arms. "I don't need music to dance with you."

She smiled as she placed her hand in mine and rested her head against my chest. In silence we moved together in perfect harmony.

"This is so corny, but I love it," She sighed.

When we eventually returned to the cabin, the living room was empty and we had both thought that we'd find Alice outside with a shovel until we heard the sounds coming from the bedrooms.

Deciding we could do without the therapy, we headed over to mine.

We spent the rest of the night making love, holding each other and talking in whispers.

Then we fell asleep in each other's arms as the sun was rising and as I held Bella in my arms, I knew I must have done something good in a previous life to deserve such happiness now.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N****: Hi everyone. Thank you for all your reviews and to my beautiful followers. Now, I was seriously considering cutting this chapter because it seemed that one thing has happened after the other lately. Then, obviously, the story is coming to an end soon so that drama will be kicking off next chapter, but I loved this chapter and I think it shows you Bella's love for Edward. So, sorry if you think it's just getting ridiculous with the drama, but I wanted to keep it. So... enjoy and please read and review. I don't want to be one of those writer who says I won't update unless I get 30 reviews, but I will be If I have to...**

**BPOV **

"We'll see you tomorrow," I called as our last class of the day ended…finally.

It had been a long day and I just wanted to go home. The guys had driven into town to pick up something. I don't know what it was; I just heard the word X-Box and tuned out.

"Well, I'm glad that's over," Rosalie groaned, about to collapse onto the floor, but the office phone started blaring before she could.

After a quick game of 'Rock Paper Scissors', Rosalie cursed like a sailor and headed into the office to answer it.

"She is such a bad loser," I giggled.

"She'll get over it. Eventually," Alice added with a smirk.

Rosalie came rushing out of the office, her blue eyes wide and filled with fear, her fatigue forgotten.

"What's wrong?" We demanded.

"That was the hospital. The guys were in a car accident. She didn't say how bad it was. Just that Emmett gave them this number before...before he lost consciousness," she sobbed.

That was the last thing I remember.

**EPOV **

I can't believe you passed out, Dude," Jasper laughed.

"Shut up," Emmett snarled as we made our way down the hospital corridor.

We had a few cuts and bruises, but Emmett had passed out cold when the nurse had pulled out a needle. We hadn't stopped teasing the piss out of him since.

"Can you fuckers just let it go? I briefly lost consciousness." He huffed.

"Oh, is that what you did?" Jasper chuckled. "Because we thought you fainted like a girl at the sight of a tiny needle."

I laughed when Emmett lunged on Jasper, pulling him into a head lock as he demanded for him to take it back. That's when I heard a familiar voice.

"I don't care! You tell me where they are you orange faced freak or I'm going to jump over this desk and choke the life out of you."

"That sounded like Rose," Emmett commented, letting go of Jasper's head.

We hurried down the corridor until we saw Rosalie and Alice in a heated argument with a young nurse who spent too much time in a tanning salon.

When Emmett cleared his throat to get their attention, they turned and ran towards us, tears streaming down their faces.

"What's with the tears?" Jasper asked, holding Alice close as she sobbed in his arms.

"When that idiotic nurse called she told us that Emmett lost consciousness! She made it sound like you were all at deaths door," She ranted as she clung to Jasper.

I looked around and noticed someone was missing. "Where's Bella?"

Rosalie pulled herself from Emmett to point at some empty chairs. It was then I saw a head of brown hair and walked over.

Bella was sitting on the floor with her head resting on her knees.

"She hasn't said a word since we got the call," Rosalie murmured. "I think it all just reminded her of Jacob."

"Jacob?" Emmett and Jasper asked in confusion.

I didn't listen to the rest of the conversation; I walked over to Bella and crouched down in front of her.

"Bella, Love?" I whispered, stroking her hair away from her face.

She lifted her head, her tear filled eyes, distant.

"Bella, it's me. The nurse didn't mean to make it sound like we were hurt. It was just a misunderstanding." I grinned. "But, I think she'll be a lot clearer in future, since Alice and Rose just ripped in to her."

"Edward," she whispered.

"Yes, Baby. We're fine. Just a few cuts and bruises," I assured her.

She flung herself into my arms, nearly knocking me on my ass. I held her tightly while I whispered that everything was okay and how much I loved her. She didn't let go on the ride home, and she didn't say a word, either.

Alice and Rosalie kept throwing worried glances at her. Obviously, concerned that today had been a little too close to home for her.

When we got inside the girls cabin, Bella seemed to come around.

"You guy's must be hungry after the day you've had. I'll go make you something to eat." She didn't give any one time to answer as she brushed past us and headed into the kitchen.

"Bella was engaged?" Emmett hissed as soon as she left the room.

"Yep, she still is if you want to get technical." Alice answered quietly.

"Okay..." He trailed off, trying to get his head around the idea, I thought. "How does today have anything to do with her ex-fiancé, er, fiancé?" He corrected himself with a frown.

"Jacob was involved in a car accident and fell into a coma. It's kind of a sore subject for her. Then today with the accident, I think it's just brought up too many memories." Rosalie looked towards the kitchen doorway, sympathy filling her large blue eyes and then looked towards me. "Also, it doesn't help that it was Edward. The only man she's ever actually loved," She added with a small smile for me.

"What do you mean?" Jasper demanded. "She was going to marry the guy. She had to have loved him."

Alice waved him off. "She didn't love him. She just think's she was supposed to love him. It's very complicated," Alice frowned, trying to explain Bella's relationship with Jacob whilst keeping an eye on the kitchen doorway. "Besides, she'll tell you herself that she loves Edward more than anything," Alice smiled up at me.

"She will?" I couldn't help but ask.

Rosalie rolled her eyes at my surprised tone. "Yes. She's told us that she loves you more than she ever thought she loved him. She feel's terrible for saying that about a guy who is in a coma, but I don't care. It's true and she has no reason to feel bad about it." Rosalie said adamantly.

"Maybe you should go and talk to her," Alice suggested.

I nodded and went to into the kitchen. She was rushing around the kitchen, rambling on about how we should have a 'healthy meal'. Seeing her so distressed broke my heart. I walked up behind her and turned her around to face me and pulled her in close.

"I'm okay," I whispered into her ear. "We all are. It was just a little crash, and you should have been told that."

"Just a little crash!" She exploded, shoving me away from her. "When Rose told me, I just shut down, Edward. I honestly can't tell you how I got to the hospital. I just went in to auto pilot." She paced back and forth, and while I hated to see her like this, I was glad she was finally getting it out.

"Do you want to know what I was thinking on the way home? I was thinking that, when I was told that Jacob had slipped into a coma and might _die_, I was scared, yes. I was upset. But, I could think and I could function and I could cope. But today, with you, I couldn't. And, Jesus, I was _engaged_ to him! I made a promise that I would love him and spend the rest of my life with him. Yet, I didn't feel even a smidgen then of what I felt today. I just couldn't cope. It felt like I couldn't breathe. My mind actually shut down because I just couldn't take the thought of that happening to you." Tears were pouring down her face, her chest raising and falling.

"Bella, that's okay. I know I would have been the same if anything happened to you. You're everything to me. Everything," I breathed as I walked up to her and placed my hands on either side of her face and kissed her passionately, trying to convey what I felt for her with a kiss that words couldn't express adequately.

I held her to me afterward as she cried, finally, letting go of the fear that she had felt today.

"Nothing can happen to you. Not you," she whispered against my tear stained shirt.

"I promise. Nothing's going to happen to me. I will never leave you, Bella." I vowed, knowing it was the truth. Nothing short of dying would ever take me away from her. An idea came into my head and I smiled, knowing it would cheer her up. "We get off work at midnight, why don't we come over here and we can all watch some movies, have a few beers and eat junk food until we're about to throw up, huh?" I knew for a fact that this was the girl's version of heaven and none of them could resist it. Besides, they deserved a treat after the scare they'd had today, we could suffer through chick flicks if it made them happy.

"Can we watch The Twilight Saga?" She asked against my chest and I smiled.

"Yes," I answered as I kissed the top of her head.

"Boycott's and Barflies?" She continued sounding like a five year old girl asking for candy.

**(A/N**** In my world Boycotts and Barflies got turned into a movie and is one of the girls' favorite films. If anyone from the film industry reads this, I beg of you to make it into a movie. I would make a wonderful Grace Parks.)**

I groaned, knowing it would make her laugh. "We watched it last night. How many times can you girls watch that film? You know how it's going to end." My complaints worked, she laughed.

"It's impossible to watch that film too many times." She argued. "Besides, it's our favorite." She pouted, looking up at me with her baby doll eyes, which were now clear of shadows and filled with laughter.

"Fine," I groaned, sounding put out.

"Yay!" She squealed and pulled me in for a giant hug, which made it all worth it.

We went to work that night, reluctantly, none of us wanting to leave the girls. All night we were asked about what had happened to us and we would explain, yet again, that we were in a minor car accident. Some girls started to flirt with us during our shift, but what had once seemed sexy and alluring, now just seemed boring.

Did we really used to find girls like that attractive? Now, the only thing that made my heart race was Bella. The way she moved, the way she smiled, the way she made me feel like we were the only people in the world.

My sexy girlfriend who was loyal, kind, and loved nothing more than hanging out with the people she loved. Whether that was out dancing at a club, or vegging out in her sweats.

Emmett was in his element, though. He had come up with a dramatic story, telling some idiotic girls that we were hurt saving people from a burning building. What shocked me was the fact that they actually believed him.

When we finally got home, the girls had prepared everything. The DVD's were out; I could see the Twilight Saga ready to go. The pizza was ready and waiting along with ice cream, cold beers, and chocolate.

We all snuggled up, Rosalie and Emmett on the love seat, Alice and Jasper were on one side of the couch, and Bella and I were on the other.

My cuts stung and my back ached to hell, yet sitting right there, with the girl I loved and surrounded by our dearest friends, I was happy.

I knew that this was the very best time of my life. Before, I hadn't realized I was missing anything. It was about hanging out with Jazz and Emmett, and getting girls who weren't crazy and didn't handcuff me to a bed, threatening to cut off my favorite part of my anatomy.

Now, it was about hanging out with the guys, but also Alice and Rosalie. And then there was Bella, who made it so I couldn't wait to wake up in the morning, just so I could see her lying next to me. I finally had someone who loved me, and whom I loved in return. Today had only proved that to me all the more.

I had everything I never knew I wanted. Yet, I couldn't help but feel, as I sat there with her in my arms, surrounded by the people I loved, that something was coming to take it all away.

**A/N**** So, what did you think? Not as long as my other chapters, but I liked it and wanted to keep it in. Next chapter we hear from someone that could ruin everything. Please review.**


	20. Chapter 20

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**A/N****: Hi, everyone, thank you all for reading my story. It means so much to me. Here is the next chapter and I would love to hear, or read, your thoughts. You can do that by reviewing! Enjoy and please don't hate me. Also, the lovely woman who is Beta to this story admitted she cried whilst reading it...**

**RPOV **

The guys were moving our TV to what they deemed a 'suitable' place to watch a stupid baseball game. Or was it basketball? Football? Why they couldn't watch the thing at their place, I'll never know, but they seemed to like spending time at ours for some reason.

Alice was reading her magazine, tuning out the guys as they criticized the layout of our living room, and I was painting my toenails, telling the guys they could leave whenever they complained about the smell. It would keep them quiet for about thirty seconds before they started complaining again.

After twenty minutes of shoving around our expensive television set like it was something they found in a cereal box, they finally agreed on the perfect spot.

Bella had gotten a phone call about ten minutes ago and had rushed out of the room. Alice and I had looked after her, knowing by her pale face, that something was wrong. When she returned, she looked like she'd seen a ghost, refusing to make eye contact with anyone.

I knew what had happened. He had woken up after all of this time, and because Bella was Bella, she was leaving.

"Bella, Love?" Edward asked, hurrying over to her when he sensed that something was wrong. "What's wrong, Baby?" He asked, brushing her hair out of her face with gentle fingers.

I watched as she looked deeply into his eyes and I knew her well enough to know that her heart was breaking.

"Jacob woke up." She whispered. "Charlie's on his way to get me." She added and though her voice showed no emotion, tears fell down her face.

Edward, though, looked like he'd just gotten plowed down by truck, but he did what any man who truly loved his woman would do. He pulled her into his arms and held on tight.

"It's okay," he whispered brightly, even as I saw his green eyes fill with tears.

The sight of him, holding back his tears and trying to be strong for her made a sob escape my throat and Emmett came rushing over to me.

Edward was a man's man and you knew he never cried about anything. Not unless something was incredibly bad, tragic even. And my heart broke for him as I watched him force back the tears and look down at her.

"I guess we should get you packed," he told her with a slight smile.

Oh, God, he was going to have us all in tears. He wasn't fighting with her, or begging her to stay. He was making this easy for her and killing us all with his selflessness in the process.

"No," I said, finally finding my voice. "You two go over to the guy's place. We'll pack for you. You know that Alice would pick out all of your stuff, anyway." I smiled.

I knew Bella better than she knew herself. She was leaving. She would go back home because she was honorable and because she thought that Jacob loved, and needed her. And to think of her packing away the life I knew she loved, was just too much. I knew she wouldn't be able to stand it and neither would Edward.

"Really?" She asked her eyes bright with tears. I knew by looking at her that she was worried in case Alice and I would be hurt if she didn't spend this time with us, saying goodbye. But for the three of us, it wasn't. We never say goodbye to each other. We would always be friends, sisters, no matter how far away we were. But, she was going back as Jacob Blacks fiancée, and that would mean saying goodbye to Edward, and the amazing love that they shared. Because she honestly believed that Jacob loved her and in his own strange way, he probably did. He loved the control he had. He had even been able to control whilst he was in a coma. So they needed this time together.

"Yes, sure, go." I smiled.

They left soon after that and when she was gone Alice and I clung to each other and cried. We cried for ourselves, and for Edward. For losing the life that been perfect, until twenty minutes ago, but mainly, we cried for Bella.

Because she had found him, she had found someone who loved her with all of his heart. Someone who was the other half of who she was. Who didn't mind listening as she ranted on about a book she loved or watching her favorite films over and over again, because it made her happy. She found him and now she felt like she had to give him up. I know I could never do that with Emmett and survive. No matter how close we are, I don't think anyone could relate to what she's going through.

**EPOV **

Bella was leaving.

We had spent the last hour making love, holding each other. Holding her while she cried.

She had just ordered for me to get her a drink and I was glad because I was having a difficult time holding it together myself.

I stood there, holding a glass of cherry-aide, her favorite, in my hands and wondering how was I going to survive this?

Bella is everything. How am I going to carry when she's gone?

I rushed over to the sink and splashed cold water on my face, gripping onto the sink as I tried to hold myself together so that she didn't know how much this was destroying me. She had warned me, but part me hoped that if he ever did wake up we'd be happily married and in our fifties, with a houseful of children, and a life together.

I headed back up the stairs with the drinks, I didn't have long left with her, and so I would soak up every second I could. Because when she left, she was taking my heart with her.

**RPOV **

The five of us were waiting outside as Charlie packed Bella's things into the trunk. He had arrived ten minutes ago and had wasted no time with pleasantries.

Edward was inside his cabin, Bella had told him that it would only make it harder for both of them.

Bella gripped onto mine and Alice's hands, all but crushing them.

"Come on, Bells," Charlie barked at her.

"I'm coming," she called her voice was rough with emotion and walked up to Jasper. "I'll see you around, Johnny."

He offered her a sad smile. "Bye June." He said as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead.

Emmett, who I had already ordered not to beg on Edward's behalf, pulled her into his thick arms. "Bye bluebells," he said as he crushed her to him.

"Bye Sexy Mr. Tickles," she laughed as he let her go.

She walked over to Alice and I, and handed me a letter with Edward's name written on it.

"We didn't talk much. I think it would have just made it too real. So I wrote it down, can you give it to him when I...when I leave?" She choked out.

"Yes, "I answered, taking the letter.

I watched as she blinked away the tears. "I love you guys…so much."

Alice and I pulled her into a group up. "We love you," we answered in unison, something that happened a lot with three of us. We knew each other so well, that sometimes, words weren't needed. I remembered all the times when we would talk of how we would all grow old together, in a big house, with thirty cats which were all called, Whiskers.

"Bella!" The bastard barked at her.

"Okay." She answered through her teeth as she pulled away.

"Call us when you get there, and like, a thousand times a day after that," Alice laughed sadly.

She nodded, a tear escaping, no matter how hard she tried to hold them back.

Before she got into the car, I saw her look over at the guy's cabin. She took a deep breath and turned, when we all heard a door crash open.

Bella whirled around, we all did, and saw Edward running toward her. I watched as he picked her up off of her feet and held her tight.

"I love you. Always," He whispered and Bella sobbed.

"And I'll always love you." She answered.

He placed her back onto her feet and framed her face with his hands and kissed her so tenderly, I think it brought tears to even Emmett's eyes. He whispered something in her ear and then smiled down at her.

"Bye, Love," he whispered.

"Bye you," she answered, her voice shook and her bottom lip trembled.

"Don't," he said as he wiped away her tears. "Don't be sad."

She sobbed again, then kissed him on the cheek and ran to the car.

I knew why she had run. Because if she hadn't, she couldn't have made herself leave. Emmett's arms wrapped around me as I watched her drive away and he held me as I sobbed into his chest.

"It's going to be okay, Baby," He promised.

I shook my head against his chest. "No. No it's not."

I pulled away, looking at Jasper holding a sobbing Alice in his arms, trying to soothe her. And Edward was gone.

I held the letter in my hands and took a deep breath as I entered the guy's cabin and made my way to his room. He was there, sitting on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands. He looked so alone. I heard the others coming up the stairs. He didn't look up.

**EPOV**

She's gone. That was the only thought that I had. The girl I loved was gone.

"Edward?" I heard Rosalie say hesitantly, from the door.

I slowly looked up into her blue eyes. They were red and puffy.

"Bella," she started. "She told me to give this to you." She continued and handed me an envelope.

I took it and opened it with shaking hands and read Bella's words to me.

Edward,  
Do you remember the first time we had breakfast together? It was the morning after me and girls crashed at yours. Drunk, I might add. I remember sitting there and thinking about how sweet you were, and funny. That morning I got to see a side of you I had never seen before, and it petrified me.  
From the first moment I saw you, I have been out of my mind crazy about you. Even though it may not seem that way right now. I always told you that the reason I wasn't sure about starting a relationship with you, was due to your history with women, but, that was only half the reason. The other half was that I knew I would fall in love with you. I knew that you would steal my heart and make it yours forever. And you did.  
I think I have loved you since I first looked into your eyes at the gym. As cheesy as that may sound, it's true.  
I was afraid because I knew this day would come. I knew the day would come when I would have to say goodbye to you. I know you may not understand why I have to leave. Hell, even I don't. All I do know is that, despite my feelings, I made a promise. Jacob has been through so much. He's lost so much. I can't add my betrayal to that list.  
Please know that I will never regret a single second of my time with you. Even the times that weren't so great. When we weren't sure if we even had a future.  
Edward, please know that it's not you. I know it's a clichéd break up line. But it's the truth. You are so amazing. You're smart, fun, witty, and unbelievably sexy, but most of all, you have the most amazing heart. Yes, sometimes you go in, guns blazing, acting first and asking questions later, but that's only because you feel things with such intensity.  
Edward being loved by you is the greatest honor I will have. I wish... I wish someone had told me when I sixteen that one day I would meet you. I would have waited. I would have waited for you. So nothing could possibly take away what I have now, you, and my life here at Jenkins.  
I can only hope that one day in the future, that you can be happy. You deserve it more than anyone. Don't close yourself off again, Edward. The woman who gets to spend the rest of her life with you, is the luckiest woman in the world. How I wish it could have been me.  
I love you, Edward.  
In a way, I hate those words because they don't adequately describe just what I feel for you. Know that my heart belongs to you. It always will.  
I love you. I'll miss you so much. I hope one day you can forgive me.  
Yours always,

Bella.

I dropped the letter onto the bed as a red haze descended over me. And I just... trashed the place. There was so much anger in me…so much pain. I just had to get it out.

Why did this have to happen? Was it Karma? I used and broke girl's hearts, and now the universe was getting even?

As I smashed my room, all I saw was Bella. The first time I'd seen her, the first we kissed. When she looked up at me with such love in her eyes, and then, when she'd gotten the call from her father, how she'd been so pale and scared. How her lips had trembled as she cried. When she had run to the car before she completely broke down.

Everything hurt and I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. I just wanted something else to feel the pain that I was in. I was about to smash the TV when I heard them

"Edward."

I turned to see Alice and Rosalie and my anger disappeared. I saw the looks in their eyes, and I knew someone else did feel that pain. They had just said goodbye to their 'sister'. They were going through it, too and I was scaring them.

"I'm sorry," I whispered as I pulled them into my arms and just let go. I let the pain take me, and I didn't know if I was going to resurface.

**A/N:**** So, Bella's gone. I cried more writing this than I probably have in my entire life. Why didn't I write it in Bella's POV you ask? Because, I cannot justify why she left, I have never understood it, I have never agreed with it. I'm not a selfless person. I wanted her with Edward and I won't be happy until she is. I'll update soon. Please review and let me know what you think. **


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N Hi, guys! Here is the next chapter and for those calling me an SOB you need these chapters and this time apart so I can have my HEA! I would never keep them apart for too long! Anywho, please read and review!**

**BPOV **

I had been back in Forks for a week now, and it had been the longest of my life. Every day I thought about Edward and my friends. I wondered if he missed me, or if he hated me. I wouldn't blame him if he did.

It had been the hardest moment of my life, to walk away from him. But I couldn't see a way to stay. Jacob was awake and asking for me. How could I stay and be that selfish when Jacob was awake, scared, confused, and asking for me? How I could leave Edward? I loved him more than anything. How could I have just walked away?

For a week, I had thought about nothing but that day, and how in a perfect world, I would have been able to stay with Edward. But that would mean wishing for Jacob to sleep through his entire life.

I was so confused. And I was miserable. I hadn't been sleeping or eating properly. I spent most of my time at the hospital with Jacob and it took everything I had not to run back to Utah and beg Edward to forgive me for leaving him.

When I had come home, Charlie had warned me not to tell Jacob about my 'fling' with Edward. That the doctors had told them that any stress could damage his recovery. I had to agree with that.

He had lost a great deal of weight and his muscles had atrophied from disuse. He seemed like a shadow of his former self. Jacob had always been loud and opinionated, but sometimes, he could be so sweet and gentle, you wouldn't have guessed that he could be the same guy.

Now, he was quiet and solemn and no one could have blamed him if he had been angry at the world and its mother, but I'd never seen any anger in him…frustration, but never anger.

He had woken up believing that he had just had the car accident, and had cried when he'd been told that he'd lost so much time.

I had spent a week at the hospital with Jacob all day, and then going to my old house at night, only to stare up at the ceiling and wish I was home. Charlie would notice sometimes, and scold me for my selfishness. Jacob needed me and I was thinking about another man. I had to agree with him there. I was disappointing my dad again. Would I ever be able to make him proud of me? I was a monster. I'd betrayed Jacob by loving another man. And I'd betrayed Edward by leaving. My poor Edward, who already had trust issues when it came to love, but had let me in anyway.

I was at home, Billy was with Jacob, and had just got out of the shower when I ran into Angela in the hallway.

Angela had been one of my only friends in Forks and I'd kept touch with her over the years.

"You scared me," I scowled at her, clutching my hand to my chest.

"What's going on with you?" Angela asked bluntly, her hazel eyes filled with concern.

"What do you mean?" I hedged.

Angela scoffed. "Don't play dumb with me," she warned as she followed me into my bedroom. "I know you. Something's happened. I thought you would be happy that Jacob was awake."

"I am!" I insisted, horrified that she'd think different, and ashamed that I must be acting otherwise.

She rolled her eyes as I sat on the bed, drying my hair with a towel.

Angela turned around to give me privacy so I could pull on my thick bathrobe. "I know you're happy that he's awake, but you're not happy." She added quietly after I'd told her she could turn around.

I bit my lip, trying to hold back tears that always seemed to be at the surface.

Angela pulled me on to my bed, the bed where we had spent so many years gossiping and dreaming of the future. She looked into my eyes for a moment. "It's a guy." She stated with confidence. Sometimes she reminded me of Alice when she talked like that.

Unable to lie to my childhood friend, I nodded my head.

"How did this happen?" She demanded.

I took a deep breath and sank back onto my pillow. "I met him when we moved to Utah. He lived next door." I explained with a smile, feeling better just by talking about Edward. "I couldn't stand him at first, he was such a player. Then we became friends and like some clichéd teen movie, we fell in love."

"You love him?" She murmured.

I nodded. "I always knew I would. From the moment that I saw him, something shifted. Like my heart knew from that very first glance."

Angela was quiet for a long time before she demanded. "Then why the hell are you here?"

I just sighed. "How can I leave him? He's been through so much without me adding that while he was in a coma, I was out living my life and falling in love."

"Bella, Jake was in the coma. Not you. What were you supposed to do? Watch your life go by? You were eighteen. Bella, if this guy makes you happy, then hold onto him. True love is hard, but it must be fought for."

I frowned at her. "Did you honestly quote Prince James?"

"Yes," she answered. "It's true Bella. Love is too rare, and too important to just throw away."

I felt my eyes fill with tears. "I miss him, so much." I admitted.

"Tell me about him," She encouraged.

And I did. I told her everything about him, the good times, and the bad times. How he made me feel when he looked at me, when he held me in his arms. How he me laugh and was sexy as hell behind that bar.

Angela never interrupted, she just watched me with a smile on her face. "You can't do this, Bella. You have to go back to him. You're happy there."

"I know, but how can I, Angela? How can I leave Jacob when he needs me? How can I let Charlie down, again? I've always let him down. Do you know what that feels like? No matter what I did, I could never get him to approve of me."

Angela rolled her eyes. "Charlie is a dick. He's always made you feel like shit, and he knows it. He uses it against you. Don't act this way, Bella. Don't listen to this music, or watch these movies, or read those books. It's always going to be something with him, Bella. He's a prick, who wants to control you because he could never control your mother. When are you going to let him stop doing it to you?" She demanded.

I gasped. "I'm not."

"Yes, you are. You love Edward, not Jacob. I get why you want to stay and help him, but you're only hurting yourself and Edward by doing it. You need to stand up for what you want."

I just stared at her. I didn't know what to say to her.

Sighing, she got to her feet. "I have to go and meet Ben. I hope you realize that it's them who've always the problem, Bella. Not you. And I hope you figure it out soon."

And then she left.

I sat out on the porch swing, later that night looking up at the night sky. It was around three in the morning, but, yet again, I couldn't sleep. When I would finally fall asleep I would have the same nightmare that I'd had been having since I left.

The six of us were on the lake, laughing and joking, Edward looking more amazing than ever, the sun shining in the background. Then suddenly, the sun disappeared, and my friends were gone. And so was Edward. And I was all alone.

I looked at those stars and begged them for answers. It reminded me of this song I liked. Well, the chorus, anyway. _Airplane_ by ., featuring Hayley Williams.

If I could wish anything, it would be for a pair of ruby slippers so I could go back home. I sighed. I had to stop thinking of Jenkins as home. This was my home. This is where I belonged.

The tiny part of me, the part I so was desperately trying to keep hidden away asked me, if you belong here so much, why are you miserable?

I jumped when my phone started blaring away. Who would be calling at three in the morning?!  
I froze, phone in hand, when I recognised the ringtone. I shouldn't answer. No, I should just turn off my phone, go inside, and try to go to sleep. Yes, that's what you should do, said my little voice, but not what you're going to. Answer the damn phone.

I couldn't ignore it. I didn't want to. So, with a deep breath, I answered. "Edward." I whispered, tears already filling my eyes.

"Do you remember the first time we kissed?" He asked. No greeting, just straight to the point.

I closed my eyes as I let the sound of his voice flow through me. Deep and husky, reminding me of candle light and silk sheets, reminding me of his touch, his smile, his laugh.

I smiled slightly. "Yeah."

"It was in front of everyone. I had just finished that song. God, I was so nervous." He chuckled.

I frowned. "That wasn't the first time we kissed." I objected. The fact that he couldn't remember held the tears back.

"I know." He told me and I could hear the smile in his voice. "But, that time you pulled away. I count that night as the first time we kissed."

"Oh." I replied, unsure of what to say next.

"I watched this film yesterday and, I knew you'd like it. It was something about a girl getting married, but the guys an ass, and she ends up going back to her ex-husband because he's the one who loves her and knows her better than anybody." I flinched, wondering if he was actually talking about us. "And I wanted to call you. I know you say you don't like cheesy movies, but I know you do."

"You were going to call me?" I asked quietly, ridiculously happy because of it.

"I pick up the phone to call you about twenty times a day. Whenever I hear something or see something, I reach for my phone and then, as I'm dialling, I remember."

His voice sounded so bleak, so lonely. Yet, I knew him well enough to know his eyes would be filled with tears. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to stop the flow of my own tears.

"I do, too." I admitted.

"Yeah?" He asked sounding a little better.

"Yeah. I was in my car, and this song came on, and I couldn't think of the name and I thought, 'Edward would know', and I already had my phone out before I realised."

"Bella," he whispered.

"I miss you." I blurted out and immediately hated myself for it. I was the one doing this. I had no right to tell him that.

"You know what I regret, Bella?" He asked.

I froze, scared of what he would say. "What?" I asked quietly.

"I regret letting you go. I regret not tying you to my bed and telling the rest of the world that they can go to hell."

My breath hitched and I fought desperately to stop the tears before he realised. The last thing I wanted was him knowing he had made me cry.

"Baby, please don't cry." I smiled slightly then. He was Edward. Of course he would know.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered. "I miss you so much." The lump in the back of my throat refused to leave no matter how many times I swallowed.

"Then come back to me." He told me simply, quietly, yet hopelessly.

It ripped my heart out. That was all I wanted to do. Run back there if I had to. "I can't. He's already been through so much. He's lost so much. How can I tell him I love someone else?" I asked and this time, I was the one who sounded hopeless. It ripped my heart out to say those words to him, to deny him anything.

"I know." He told me. "I guess if you were the type of girl to leave someone who needed you, you wouldn't be the girl I love."

That didn't make me feel better. By staying with Jacob, I was hurting Edward. That went against the grain.

"I love you, Bella. I always will." He said with feeling.

"I love you, too…forever." With that, the line went dead and my heart, if it was possible, shattered even more.

I looked back up at the sky, waiting for my shooting star. Letting the tears come. Letting myself be overwhelmed with the pain, the grief, and even the anger at why fate, or whoever the hell was up there, let me meet my soulmate, knowing I would have to leave him.

I felt lost and confused. If my heart was with someone else, why was I here? Why was I doing this to Edward and myself? Why not pack my things, book a taxi and be on the first flight back to Utah? I just wanted Edward and the girls and my friends. I wanted to wake up tomorrow, be in my room, and turn over to see Edward lying there asleep. I wanted to walk down the stairs and see everyone around the table. Rosalie, holding a cup of hot coffee, Jasper, too. Both of them scowling at Alice and Emmett as they bickered over who gets the last pancake. Alice getting her way, and Emmett sulking for the next hour. Me and Edward just sitting there, watching the chaos around us. Smiling at each other, knowing not one of us would want it any other way.

I actually stood up; the need to be with them was so strong, before I remembered the answer to all of those questions.

Jacob.

He loved me and he had just woken up from being in a coma. I had watched films and read books about someone waking up and finding out that the person they loved had moved on. I promised that it wouldn't happen to Jacob. So, though everything in me screamed in protest, I knew I couldn't leave. I couldn't be so selfish. I had been selfish by falling in love with Edward and breaking his heart. I had to think about someone else. I had to do what was right for Jacob. He had already lost so much. It would kill him to lose his fiancé, too.

With that, I sat back down and let myself go numb. I just didn't want feel anything anymore

**APOV**

Rosalie and I sat on the couch, watching as Jazz and Emmett paced our living room. They reminded me of caged animals. The past week had been difficult for all of us. Edward was a wreck, we were sad over Bella's abrupt departure, and the guys felt helpless. Their best friend was a shadow of himself, barely talking or eating anymore.

"Why? Why did she do this?" Emmett growled.

"You know why." I told them softly, leaning my head against Rosalie's shoulder, feeling tired suddenly.

"Is this how she gets her kicks or something? Make Edward fall for her, let him open up his heart, finally, and then leave without a second glance?!" Jazz demanded, Emmett nodding his head in agreement.  
It seems they had decided to take out their frustrations on Bella. Which, of course, we would never stand for.

We jumped up, glaring at the loves of our lives.

"I would shut up before you say something you can't take back." Rosalie warned them. She didn't raise her voice, but the ice in her tone had the effect of a whip, making both of them flinch.

Emmett sighed. "I know, I know. I love Bella, you know I do. We both do. But, we just feel so helpless." He raised his arms and then dropped them back to his sides, in defeat.

Jazz sat down and rubbed his hands over his face. "I can't stand seeing him like this anymore." His voice was barely above a whisper and I was instantly at his side, wrapping my arms around him.

"I know you don't understand, but you have to see it from her side. She truly believes that Jacob loves her. It's like they brainwashed her or something. Although, she never felt the same about him, she loves him as a friend, but nothing more, she never has. You can't imagine the guilt she feels over it. The guilt she felt when they blamed his accident on her because he was on his way to visit her at school. She only accepted his proposal in the first place because she thought she could force herself to love him. Force herself to want to be with him. I know she loves Edward. But, she just can't bring herself to hurt Jacob, even if he does deserve it." Rosalie explained, rubbing Emmett's back, trying to get him to calm down. It worked and he wrapped his arm around her, pressing his face into her golden hair.

"She has to come back. She has just has to." Emmett murmured into Rosalie's hair.

I met Rosalie's gaze, looking into her big blue eyes, knowing what she was thinking. "She will. She'll find her way home." She promised.

**BPOV **

_We were in the lake, the sun shining brightly and I'd never seen a sky so blue. Emmett and Rosalie were over in that rust-bucket boat teasing each other, while Alice and Jasper were laughing in their own boat on the opposite side of the lake._

_Edward and I lay on the bottom of our boat, looking up at the sky and holding each other in our arms. The sun made his eyes sparkle, and his bronze hair shine._

_He leans over and kisses me with a passion I had all but forgotten. "I love you, Bella. Come back to me," He whispered._

_With those words, the sky turned dark and I felt so cold. A clap of thunder sounded and I shot up. I looked up at the dark sky and then glanced at the others. They were gone._

_"Alice? Rosalie?" I called out, afraid. "Emmett? Jasper?" Silence was my only response._

_My eyes searched the water. It was untouched._

_"Edward, where are they? I can't find them!" My heart was frantic as I searched the water for them, again. Hard rain started to fall, drenching me._

_"Edward, they're-" I turned to him, only to find no one there, "gone," I whispered._

_They were all gone and I was alone._

I sat up with a jolt in my bed. Sweat pouring out of me. I'd had this dream before, but never that vivid.

"They're gone," I whispered.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N Don't you just love my beta? She is just so freakin awesome! Here's another one. Review please.**

**EPOV**

I woke up, dreading yet another day without Bella. When I'd spoken to her on the phone, she had sounded so young and lost. As I stretched out in my bed, I caught a scent of something. I pulled the pillow to my face and inhaled deeply…Bella.

Well, that proves it, I've gone completely insane.

After I dressed, I decided to go around to the girls place. I had avoided it as much as possible over the past week, but I had to face it sometime. Besides, I needed something of her. The phone call the other night had been both amazing and devastating at the same time. I had told myself not to call her, not to make it harder on her. But I hadn't been able to stop myself.

To hear her voice had made all the pain worth it.

And now, like an addict, I needed more. And Rosalie and Alice were closer to Bella than sisters, if anyone knew how she was, it was them.

I found them in the kitchen, making brownies.

"Hey, Edward!" They greeted in unison, which ripped out my heart. They actually looked excited to see me, though. They're probably just glad to see me dressed and out of bed, my ass of an inner voice pointed out. It had been pointing out a lot of things I didn't want to hear, lately.

"Hi," I replied, walking over and leaning across the counter from them. My voice sounded strange to me, it was quiet, void of any emotion.

They both flittered around the kitchen like everything was fine, but I could see that both of them were uncomfortable. I guess I couldn't blame them. Even I wouldn't want to spend time with me.

Every now and then, as we made polite conversation, I noticed that Alice would glance up the stairs and freeze. I didn't really care. I was here for one reason only. I was just dreading the answer. I took a deep breath and tried to keep calm.

"So, have you heard anything from Bella?" I asked as casually as possible. It hurt, though, to say her name.

They both smiled brightly at me.

"Yes, she texted us just yesterday…she's' loving be back at home, seeing her family and friends." Alice _beamed_ at me while she ripped out what was left of my heart. Well, who needed a fully functioning one, anyway?

It hurt. To think of her as happy and not missing me as much as I'd hoped she would. It angered me, the thought of her happy with family and friends. We're her family.

I didn't want her to be miserable, I admitted to myself, of course I didn't. But I didn't want to hear that she was having a great time with her dick of a father and her bastard of a fiancé. Not when I felt like blowing out my brains most the time.

After that, I made my quick getaway. Not looking back at the house where I kept expecting to see Bella come bounding down the stairs and run into my arms like she had used to.

I avoided Jasper and Emmett as much as I could. They kept tell me that it was time to move on, that I should just find a girl to have a good time with, like I used to. Didn't they understand? That was who I used to be before I met Bella. Before I had fallen, unconditionally, in love with her.

I couldn't just go back to who I used to be. I didn't want to.

Even with all the hurt and anger that was raging inside of me, it was worth it. Meeting Bella and falling in love with her was worth all of what I was feeling now…even though I lost her in the end.

What did they say in that _Sex and the City_ film? Something like, some love stories are shorter than other, but that didn't mean that the love was any less…I only caught a second of it when we had burst into the cabin.

I smiled at the memory of that night. Arguing with her, dancing with her under the stars and then making love to her until the sun rose.

So, I can't regret Bella changing me. Making me see that one girl, if she's the right girl, can be the most amazing thing in the world. The pain I was feeling now was worth it because I got to know Bella. I got to have her in my life…if only for a little while.

At work later that night, they were at it again. Trying to convince me to move on and check out some blonde at the end of the bar. You wait until I told Alice and Rosalie that they were scanning the bar for hot chicks. They didn't have to know they were looking for me.

Like the coward I am, I decided to hide out in back and take inventory, even though I didn't have to. But it was better than being out there while they tried to hook me up with some chick while I was surrounded by memories of Bella.

"Come on, dude, it's getting busy out here!" Emmett called.

I groaned and rushed out, serving as many people, as fast as I could.

I muttered a curse when I heard _So Hott_ come on and slammed the till shut.

"What's up with you?" Jasper demanded and my reply was to glare at him as I tried not to picture Bella dancing in my kitchen, swaying her hips to the music, and sending all the blood in my body to my groin. Jasper seemed to understand that it was something Bella related and understanding filled his eyes.

Emmett, however, wasn't so understanding, "Come on, Eddie, so she left! You'll find someone else." He boomed over the music.

"Shut up, Emmett," I snarled. I wasn't in the mood for this.

"Hey, all I'm saying is, man up and use some chick to help you get over Bella. How about that girl behind you, she just ordered a Screaming-Sex-With-The-Bartender." He grinned and waggled his eyebrows.

Pain hit me. That was Bella's favorite drink from that movie she loved. When would everything stop reminding me of her?

"Fuck off, Emmett," I snarled and made the drink. When I turn around, I saw the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen.

"Bella."

**A/N**** Oh, yeah!**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N**** Hi guys! Here is the next chapter! I hope you love it. Review please, they make me smile.**

**Previously on Where You Belong…**

_"Alice? Rosalie?" I called out, afraid. "Emmett? Jasper?" Silence was my only response._

_My eyes searched the water. It was untouched._

_"Edward, where are they? I can't find them!" My heart was frantic as I searched the water for them, again. Hard rain started to fall, drenching me._

_"Edward, they're-" I turned to him, only to find no one there, "gone," I whispered._

_They were all gone and I was alone._

_I sat up with a jolt in my bed. Sweat pouring out of me. I'd had this dream before, but never that vivid._

_"They're gone," I whispered. _

**BPOV **

Since it was almost time to get up anyway, I decided to stay up, and get Charlie's breakfast started, so I headed down into the kitchen. I was still stressed out about my dream and more confused than ever.

To try and take my mind off of my nightmare, I went over and turned the radio on, hoping a little music would distract me. I burst out laughing when the next song came on. _I Touch Myself_ by The Divinyls. Smiling, I pulled out my phone and texted the first line of the song to Alice, knowing she would pass it along to Rosalie.

As I danced around the kitchen, singing and dancing I got a reply on my cellphone.

_'I don't anybody else. When I think about you I touch myself.' _

I laughed and typed back how much missed and loved them.

I was still singing and dancing when Charlie entered the kitchen, a frown on his face.

"What were you listening to?" He demanded, turning the radio off.

"I touch myself," I answered simply as I frowned at the radio he'd just turned off.

"I beg your pardon?" He demanded, angrily.

"It's the name of the song, Daddy." I explained with a chuckle.

"Well, I don't want you listening to such music anymore."

I flat out laughed. "It's a song, Dad! Plus, it's kind of the mine and the girls' song."

He frowned. "I should have known that _those girls_ would be involved." The way he said 'those girls' annoyed me, as if they were trash and he hadn't expected anything else.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped at him, something I'd never done before.

He raised his eyebrows at my tone. "What I mean is it doesn't surprise me that they are involved in this. I mean, look at you, snapping at me because of them. It's not right. I'm your father and I demand to be treated with respect in my own house, by my own daughter. I think I deserve that, at the very least after what you've put me through these past few years. Don't you?" He demanded.

I looked at him in shock. "Yes, Dad, of course you do."

"Good." He nodded his head and left, not even touching the breakfast I'd made for him.

I stood there as everything clicked into place. It was as if all these memories were flashing through my head at warp speed, but suddenly my perspective on them changed.

I dug my phone back out of my pocket and called my mom.

"Hello?" Phil, my stepdad, greeted.

"Phil. Mom. Phone. Now!" I ordered, not even giving him full sentences.

He just laughed, mumbled something about me being my mother's daughter and handed the phone over.

"Sweetie?" My mom answered.

"Holy Jesus Christ mom, I finally understand what you've been saying all these years!" I burst out.

"Bella," she sighed my name in relief. Why?

"Didn't Phil tell you it was me?" I asked in confusion.

"Honey, it's not that. It's just for the first time in over a week, I feel like I'm finally talking to my daughter!" I could hear the tears in her voice.

"Oh, she's back and with a vengeance! Mom, I've never seen it before, just how controlling he is. He just told me he doesn't want me listening to _I Touch Myself_, anymore! That he thought that Rosalie and Alice were a bad influence."

"The Divinyls, good song." She said absently and I had to laugh. Phil was right; I was my mother's daughter. I had tried so hard to gain my dad's approval, that I hadn't noticed that the only one of my parents that I should need approval from, I already had. And she would never want me any differently.

I filled her in on the rest of the conversation and ended with, "Who the hell does he think he is?" I screeched down the phone.

"That's my girl!" She cheered.

"I can't stand it here, mom. I don't belong here. I can't believe I ever thought I did. Phil's right, I am your daughter. I just never realized how much he controlled me before. When I was a teenager he practically chose everything for me. What I wore, what I watched, what I read. Even my boyfriend! Mom, I need you. What should I do on the Jacob front?"

"You want Edward." She stated.

"More than anything. I've tried to be who dad wanted, and I think before I met him I would have become that person... But I did meet him and I want him."

"Honey, go and talk to Jacob. It was foolish to come back here and think you could sacrifice your entire life for him. But something good has come out of it. You realized that your dad's a prick!"

I burst out laughing at her words.

"He could never control me Bella and that infuriated him, so he tried with you. But you met the girls and you met Edward and they have helped you realize where you truly need to be. Go and talk to him and then go home."

I smiled. "I love you, Mom."

"I love sweetie. No matter what you do or what you chose, I will always love you."

After I had hung up and got dressed, I jumped into my old truck that I'd driven in high school and headed toward the hospital.

"So you're leaving then?" Jacob asked with a smile when I walked into his hospital room.

"What?" I asked dumbstruck. "How..." I trailed off unable to finish.

"I may have been in a coma, and with the way it feels right now, never walk again, but I'm not blind." He chuckled.

"I'm so sorry, Jake." I whispered as I walked over to him and sat on the edge of his bed.

"Don't be, I understand." His dark eyes were so soft and his voice was tender.

"I don't understand." I pointed out. He was never like this before.

He brushed my hair away from my face. "I am so sorry for everything, Bella. I'm sorry if I made you feel like you weren't good enough, that you should be someone that you weren't."

"Then why did you?" I asked, remembering all the times when I had tried so hard to be the girl everyone wanted me to be, including Jacob.

He sighed, "Because I never loved you. Not the way I wanted to and all for all of the wrong reasons."

"What?" I demanded. The hit's just kept on coming!

He cleared his throat. "When you first came to town we got on so well and our dads were always pushing for us to get together, and me being me, I wanted to please my dad. He was all I had left when my mom died and I just wanted him to be proud of me. I wanted to be the son he wanted."

Fuck. Me.

"You asked me out to please your dad?" I asked incredulously.

Then I started to laugh. I found it hilarious that I had stayed with Jacob to please my dad and he had asked me out in the first place to please his. We had a lot in common, after all. I remembered back to those first few weeks when I had arrived in Forks. Jacob had been sweet and funny and he had been a really good friend. I had forgotten that.

Jacob nodded and continued once I'd calmed down. "Yeah, I did. I just wanted to make him happy. Then your dad started talking about college, and how he thought you should stay in Washington, and not go to California. So, I tried to get you to stay. Then your mom got involved," he sighed. "My dad didn't come out and say it, but I knew he was disappointed that I couldn't get you to stay."

I blinked at just how much they had controlled me and silently thanked my mom for just being my mom and wanting what was best for me.

Shame filled his eyes. "So, I took it out on you." He admitted quietly. "I knew that I made you feel like you weren't good enough, that you should change."

"If you knew how I felt, then why'd you do it?" I demanded angrily.

"Misery loves company, I suppose," He muttered. "I was so angry myself, that I couldn't seem to get my dad's approval, so instead of standing up to him and telling him to go fuck himself, that I didn't need it, I took it out on you." He groaned. "I even proposed thinking that would impress him. I am so sorry, Bella."

I could see it was all sincere, but I was angry what I heard.

"Do you know how much I wanted to be enough? To be what everyone wanted me to be? You of all people knew how it felt when someone you loved said you weren't enough. Why?" I bit out.

He looked at me, his eyes full of remorse. "I know. And I don't deserve forgiveness, but I'm more sorry than you will ever know."

"So what changed? Why are you telling me the truth now?"

"Because, I've lost years off my life! I don't want to waste any more time. When I woke up, and realized that so much time had gone by, I didn't want to waste anymore, especially trying to gain the approval of a man who I will never get it from."

"So, you don't want him to approve of you anymore?" I asked doubtfully.

He laughed. That deep, throaty laugh that I hadn't heard since I was fourteen. "Well, I'm going to try not to, but these things take time. When you came back, I thought, maybe, I could be happy with you. They had told me you'd waited for me to wake up all these years and you looked so happy to see me. I was feeling alone and scared and I thought, maybe..."

"What changed there?" I had to ask.

"I saw your eyes. You walked into the room with this big smile plastered on your face and maybe when I was nineteen, I wouldn't have noticed, but I did now. I saw pain, Bella, and sadness and yet again, I was selfish. I wanted you to stay because I was scared that no one else would want this," he waved his arm over his frail body.

"That's not true," I objected.

"Then when you walked in today," He continued, ignoring me. "I saw your eyes and I knew that you were leaving. And I'm happy for you. I truly am, Bella. My only excuse for the way I have behaved for... so many years is that I was young and stupid, and I wanted for my dad to love me the way he used to. My excuse for not telling you to go back home when you arrived was that I was plain, old stupid." He teased.

I laughed. "I would have stayed Jacob, for a while, to help you. I just wouldn't have left such a mess of everything," I added, feeling sick.

"So, there's a guy," he said slyly.

I smiled. "There's a guy. And I love him. I only hope it isn't too late. That, after everything, he hasn't stopped loving me."

"He won't." Jacob said with confidence. "If he loves you the way you love him, he won't."

"Is there a girl?" I asked noticing the sappy look that came into his eyes when he spoke of love.

He grinned and we were fourteen again. "Maybe, I've always had a thing for Nessie, but my dad never liked her." He smiled suddenly. "I'm done with what he wants now."

I smiled softly. "Good for you, Jake."

"Do you think I stand a chance?" He asked, worried.

I thought back to Nessie. She was in our class at school and I'd always thought she'd had a thing for him. She was sweet, gentle, and loved to work on cars. I'd seen her when I came on my first day and noticed how her eyes lit up when she spoke of Jacob.

"Yes." I answered confidently." I actually have her phone number." I teased, waving my cell phone around and laughed when he pulled out the big guns, flashing me the puppy dog eyes. "Okay," I drawled and wrote it down for him. "Call her, Jake. Don't waste any time. Love is too rare and too important to throw away." I quoted Angela's wise words. "And when she falls head over heels for you, give her this," I told him, handing back his mother's ring, that I hadn't been able to put on.

He smiled. "Thank you, Bella."

I kissed his cheek and got to my feet. "So, this is goodbye."

"Yes, it is. Don't be a stranger, okay?"

"I won't." I promised. "Besides, I want an invite to the wedding." I teased.

He laughed. "Have a good life, Bella"

"You too, Jake."

"Bella?" He called as I opened the door.

"Yeah?" I asked turning around.

"Will you ever be able to forgive me?" He asked, his voice shaking with emotion.

I smiled. "There's nothing to forgive. I was the same, Jake. I just wanted my dad to love me. And, maybe, if I would have turned you down," I teased. "None of this mess would have happened."

"Don't do that, Bella. We were all to blame. Go, live your life, and be happy. You are wonderful and you deserve it."

"So do you. Call her." I said and left the room. I waited and watched through the window as he reached for the phone. I walked away after he had asked her out and was smiling at her answer.

* * *

I sat in the living room, waiting for Charlie to return. I was nervous. I had never confronted my father before, the one time I disobeyed him, my mother had been standing at my side, but this time I was all alone.

"What is this?" He bellowed as he walked through the front door. "I just got a call from Billy. Apparently you broke off your engagement to Jacob! He's just woken up from a coma and you do this to him, you selfish girl." He yelled as he loomed over me. It was intimidating, I wouldn't lie, but I wasn't backing down this time.

"Jacob and I don't love each other, Dad." I argued. "I won't marry someone I don't love."

"He is your fiancé you belong with him, not some ladies' man out in the middle of nowhere." His face was red with anger, but my anger was starting to build.

"Correction, he was my fiancé. Not anymore. I don't belong with him, and I don't belong here."

"You are my daughter; I know what's best for you."

I looked at him sadly. "I used to think that. That you knew what was best for me. That you knew what I should do, and I let it control me. I went out with Jake because that's what you wanted. I agreed to marry him because I thought it would make you happy. I came back here because you loved me, right? And you knew what was best for me." I choked out. "But you're wrong. You don't know what's best for me, because you don't know me. You don't want to know me. You didn't even fight when mom took me away. You were happy with one week, every summer and when I came you wanted to turn me into someone I wasn't. And I tried, dad. I really tried to be that person, because I thought if I was who you wanted me to be, you would love me and you would want me, but I'm not that person. I love to dance and sing songs that you wouldn't approve of. I curse, I have sex, with my amazing boyfriend, who I love and have probably just destroyed any chance of happiness we would have had."

"Sex," He muttered, his face turning purple.

"Yes, Dad, I lied about the whole 'no sex before marriage' thing because I didn't want Jacob that way. I didn't want him anyway, other than a friend. I wanted to make you happy, but I'm done with that. Jacob's done with that. It's not our jobs to make you happy. Or make you love us. You're our parents, that should be a given." I looked up into his eyes. Eyes that were almost identical to mine. "Why isn't it dad?"

He just stood there, looking down at me. He had shut off any expression so I didn't know if I was getting through to him or not.

I picked up my bag. "I've booked myself on a flight. It's leaving today. I just wanted to say goodbye before I went home." I walked past him.

"You walk out that door and your dead to me." He warned.

I turned back to him, tears filling my eyes. "Isn't that what you said to my mom before she left? When will learn dad? I love you, but I can't be who you want me to be. I won't be that person." I paused. "I hope one day you change your mind. I hope that you will wake up and realize that you have a daughter who loves you very much. So much that she was willing to ruin the only happiness that she had ever known, just to get you to love her. If, or when you realize that Dad, I'll be there. You're my dad and I love you unconditionally. I always will."

And with that I left, and got into my truck. I was ready to go home.

**A/N**** Oh yeah, she's going home! Home will everyone react? Review people!**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N I was going to make you wait for this... and then I thought forget it! Here you are!**

**RPOV **

It was midnight and Alice and I had decided to watch _Boycott and Barflies_ to cheer ourselves up, like it normally would. It didn't have that effect without Bella, but neither of us mentioned it.

Everything was still awkward, Edward had been even worse yesterday, but he wouldn't tell anyone why.

We missed Bella. The studio wasn't the same without her. The cabin wasn't. The entire hotel wasn't the same. People might think it was silly, to be so affected by her leaving, but anyone who knew her, knew just how much that girl could affect your life.

Before, Jenkins had seemed fun and bright, now it was cold.

Alice was miserable. Jasper was worried because none of us had shopped since we left, but we couldn't bring ourselves to. It was something that reminded us of her.

We were only acting like couples in private. We all agreed that Edward shouldn't have to have that rubbed in his face.

So, Emmett and Jasper would come over when Edward was asleep, which was actually a lot these days. He just got up, went to work, ate very little, showered, and went back to bed. He was broken and it broke our hearts to see him like this.

Bella had, unknowingly, cheered us up earlier. She had texted us the opening lines of _I_ _Touch Myself_, which was our song. That had made us feel better, knowing that she was missing us. We hadn't told Edward when we saw him earlier tonight, it would have hurt him.

So, here we are, watching our favorite film, but not actually watching it at the same time.

We were startled by a heavy banging on the front door. Emmett and the guys were asleep, so it wasn't them. Alice looked at me and grabbed our 'emergency' baseball bat and followed me to the front door. When we opened the door, it was the last person we expected.

"Here I have three large pizzas, three pints of ice cream, three bottles of wine, and a two liter bottle of diet Pepsi. You know, because we should really watch what we eat. But, most importantly, I have a friend who has been a stupid idiot and realized that the person she was ruining her life for, just wasn't worth it."

There stood Bella. She had a big box with all kinds of food in it and, most importantly, the suitcase that was behind her.

She was back.

**BPOV **

After we had finished squealing, hugging, and all together looking like crazy people, we headed into the house and sat down on the living room floor, having a midnight feast, with the film on pause, Blake Shelton playing quietly in the background, and in our pajamas.

As we ate, I filled them in on everything, on Jacob's condition and how well he had been doing, what Angela had told me, my dream where they had disappeared that I'd had after my phone call with Edward. They said that it made so much sense now and were in tears when I'd told them what he'd said. Then I had told them about this morning, with Charlie, my hospital visit with Jake, and then my confrontation with Charlie.

"Wait," Rosalie interrupted me. "Are you telling me that a Divinyls song made you realize that Charlie had been controlling you all these years and that you no longer wanted his approval?"

I shrugged my shoulders and we burst out laughing.

"That's one for the grandkids." Alice snickered.

They began asking me about my talk with Jake.

"Wow," Alice said wide eyed. "Who would have thought that all this time Jake wanted what you did. I can't believe it." She muttered.

They were proud of me for what I said to Charlie, reassuring me that he was an idiot, and that I would always have their love. They also giggled like hell when I told Charlie that I'd had sex with Edward.

Then Alice punched me in the arm…hard.

"Ow! What was that for?" I demanded.

"You should have called us! We would have met you at the airport."

"Or driven down to Forks and picked you up," Rosalie added.

I rolled my eyes. "That would be going a little overboard, don't you think?"

They looked at me with sad eyes. "We missed you," they answered.

I smiled and pulled them into a hug. "I am so sorry that I left. I am sorry that I hurt you. But I am never leaving again." I vowed.

"You promise?" Alice sniffled.

"I promise. This is where I belong. Here, with you."

They pulled back and smiled at me.

"How is he?" I asked.

Their smiles dropped.

"He's... broken, Bella. He just gets up, goes to work, eats when the guys make sure he does showers, and goes back to bed. It's the same thing every day," Alice whispered.

"I gave him your note. I gave it to him after you left, and he just... smashed the place up." Rosalie breathed. Both of their eyes were glazed over with unshed tears, while mine flowed freely.

"He just looked so angry. We were scared and shocked, he didn't look like himself. I said his name when he was about to smash the TV, I was scared he'd electrocute himself and he just stopped. He looked at us and held his arms out for me and Rose, and when he had his arms around us he said he was sorry for scaring us." Alice said and now we were all sobbing freely.

"We just lay down with him and just kept on telling him that everything would be okay, until he fell to sleep. When he woke up, he was lifeless. That spark in his eyes, it had gone."

I couldn't believe what I'd done to him…my poor, sweet Edward.

"I am a monster." I mumbled and then start to cry.

They wrapped their arms around me and held on as I sobbed.

"Bella, it will be fine. You two will be together soon enough," Rosalie soothed me.

I pulled back and wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

"But what if he doesn't want me, anymore? You told me what he's been like, why would he want me after putting him through all of that? What if I've hurt him too much? What if he's moved on and would rather go out with some bar skank than me?" I sobbed.

They shared a glance.

"What?" I demanded with dread.

"Bella, Edward told Emmett that he had the chance the night after you left. He went into the bar and some chick hit on him."

Why was I suddenly hyperventilating?

"Bella, calm down," Alice tried to soothe me. "Jasper told me that he said she was very attractive."

I was actually gasping for by the point.

"Not really helping here, Alice!" Rosalie scolded her.

Alice bit her lip. "I'm sorry. Deep breaths," she said, then demonstrated taking deep breaths.

"Jasper said that this girl was very attractive, but he also said, that he looked at her, and knew he could have her, could take her home, but he didn't want her. You want to know why?" Alice smiled. "He said it was because she wasn't you. He told them that the only woman wants…is you."

"I'm going over there," I announced as I got to my feet, ready to march over there in my pajamas and beg on my hands and knees until he forgave.

"No!" They screamed following after me, stopping me before I could get the door open.

"Why not? Unless, he is over there with someone else!" I glared at them, needing to know the truth.

"Bella, it's three in the morning and he's dead to the world by now. Besides, you need something memorable!" Alice squealed as she clapped her hands in excitement.

Rosalie, my normally level headed friend, nodded her head in agreement. "You need to do something epic…something that would happen in the movies!" Now she was clapping, too.

"I am not walking over there and saying 'You complete me', or 'You had me at hello." I drawled. Both of their faces dropped in disappointment.

"Well, we'll think of something. In the meantime, let's get the guys over here," Rosalie said as she pulled out her cell phone.

"Isn't it a little late for them?" I asked not wanting to wake them up, but wanting to see them at the same time.

"Pfft!" Alice dismissed my worries with a wave of her hand.

"We need them to make our story work," Rosalie explained and then looked as if a light bulb had gone off in her head. "Yes! If they're all like 'Just get over her, man,'" Rosalie said in a bad impression of Emmett. "And then suddenly, there you are and then... bam! Just like the movies," She giggled as she dialed her phone.

Alice was once again clapping at the plan. I would rather skip any plan and just go and see him.

"Emmett, get over and bring Jasper with you. No don't tell Edward!" She rolled her eyes. "Because I want you to meet our new roommate and I think it would just upset him. Actually, we just met her today," Rosalie lied and threw a wink at me. "I don't care how late it is! Wake up Jasper and get your asses over here now!" She snapped down the phone before snapping it shut.

"Bella, go wait in your room and take your bags with you." She ordered me.

I sighed and took my bags upstairs. As I entered my room, one word entered my mind; Home.

My bed, my closet, all the photographs that lined the room of my friends, and Edward. I was home, in my bedroom. I smiled as I walked up to the photograph that stood on my bed side table. It was taken on a day when the six of us had gone on a picnic. It was of me and Edward sitting on the grass, the sun setting behind us and with Edward's wrapped around me. It was my favorite. I looked so happy and Edward… he looked more handsome than ever.

I looked towards the stairs when I heard the front door open and heard Emmett's booming voice, followed by Jaspers, who was much more appropriate at this time of night.

"Rosie, you know I love you, but... Edward's not going to be happy about this," he warned. You'd think he'd keep his voice down, considering that he thought their new roommate was waiting in my room, but not Emmett.

"I have to agree. You know how he is. Maybe we should put off letting him know about your new roommate for a few weeks." Jasper suggested.

"Oh, hush, you two. Come on, she's in Bella's old room." I heard Alice tell them.

I stood at the bottom of my bed, vibrating in excitement.

They walked through the door and Emmett and Jasper froze when they saw me.

"So, you think he won't like me, huh?" I asked shyly.

Jasper laughed and ran over to me, lifting me off my feet and swinging me around.

"What are you doing here?" He asked as he put me down.

"It's a long story." I laughed as I kissed him on the cheek.

"I missed you, we all did."

"Me too," I answered looking over at Emmett, who just stood in the doorway with a stunned expression on his face. "What? Don't I get a hug?"

"Edward is going to flip." He said numbly.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I asked worriedly and looked up at Jasper, who just smiled reassuringly.

Emmett let out a whoop of laughter and dragged me into his arms where he crushed the crap out of me.

I told them everything, including what my dad had said to me. It had taken a lot to calm them down so they wouldn't track down my dad and beat the living shit out of him for saying such cruel words to me. In the end, it had been Alice and Rosalie who had stopped them by luring them into their bedrooms with no intentions of sleeping.

I rolled over in my bed and looked at the clock; it was five in the morning. I hadn't got any sleep. It was like my entire body was aware that what I wanted more than anything was just next door. Fuck it, I decided and got out of bed. Everyone was asleep, no one would know.

I snuck out of my bedroom, still in my pajamas and tip toed down the hall. I had just reached the top of the stairs, when Alice's bedroom door opened. I froze.

"Going to get a drink, are we?" I heard Jasper drawl from behind me.

I turned to face him. "Uh, yeah…I'm thirsty." I finished lamely.

"Well... just in case you wanted to know, Edward doesn't set his alarm clock until around 2pm, lately. Just in case," he repeated with a wink.

"Thank you, Jasper," I said sincerely. He knew where I was going and he would keep my secret.

"Be back by 10am. That's the time Alice's alarm is set for."

"Alice always set's it for 7am." I said confused.

He just shrugged his broad shoulders and grinned.

I ran over to him with a big smile and hugged him, kissing his cheek. "Thank you." Then I ran out of the house, eager to get to him.

I walked into the boy's cabin quietly. I gasped when I saw it. I never thought I'd miss this place, with its lack of real food, pool table, and every video game you could imagine. I made my way up the stairs, my heart pounding in my chest. I slipped into his dark room and my breath caught.

There he was, lying on his bed, wearing only flannel pajama bottoms, leaving his chest bare. The light was now a dull grey, saying that the night would be over soon.

He was as beautiful as I remembered. In fact my memories hadn't done him justice.

I couldn't stop myself, he looked dead to the world and I had five hours before I had to be home. I crept across the room and climbed into bed with Edward. I made sure not too move too quickly, so I didn't wake him. I just lay there on my side, watching him. He had dark circles under his eyes, like he hadn't been sleeping, but according Rosalie and Alice he spent most of his time asleep. Unless…unless, he pretended. Just says that he does so he could escape for a while. Maybe, he'd been having nightmares, too.

I traced the circles under his eyes and hated myself all the more. I leaned over and kissed his forehead and then felt his strong arms wrap around me. I froze, thinking I'd woken him up. I looked down at his face, his eyes were closed. He pulled me against his chest and held me tightly to him, nuzzling his face against my neck.

Tears poured down my cheeks. I'd missed him so much. I kissed his head, running my fingers lightly through his thick, bronze hair and took in his amazing scent.

I felt whole for the first time in what seemed like so long. There was no emptiness inside of me. I felt wonderful, in fact. I smiled and brushed my lips over anywhere I could reach.

"Bella," he mumbled in his sleep. "I love you."

"I love you, always." I whispered back. I didn't close my eyes. I'd have time for sleep later. Right now, I just wanted to look at him.

So, that's what I did. For the next five hours I lay with him, watching him sleep and whispered how much I loved him and how sorry I was.

Edward would hold me so tight, that it was hard to breathe, but it was preferable. I would rather have died from a lack of oxygen than pull myself away from him.

Well, if he wasn't sleeping before, he is now, I thought.

At 9:55am, I left, unwillingly, and ran back to my bedroom. I got back just in time to hear Alice and Rosalie's alarms go off. I fell to sleep with the Edwards scent on me and to the sound of Alice and Rosalie complaining over their crappy alarm clocks. Thank you Jasper and Emmett.

I woke up around 3pm. I was about to go downstairs and get something to eat when I heard his voice and froze.

He was asking about me, asking if they'd heard from me.

The girls were evasive and pretended like I was have a great time. I could have throttled them when I saw him flinch a few times from my spot. I was leaning over the hand rail, trying to getter a better look at him. A couple of times I almost lost my grip and nearly went flying over. Alice was the only one who noticed and she would freeze until I'd signal that I was okay.

When he left, I noticed that he just seemed so empty and lifeless. He didn't look behind him as he left. If he had, he would have seen me.

I cried for twenty minutes at the bottom of the stairs with Alice and Rosalie sitting there with their arms around me. When I eventually calmed down, the girls mentioned that I would need a new outfit for tonight, so they dragged me out to the car like we were in the middle of a spy movie. With code words and hand signals. They were having way too much fun with this.

We returned home later with great new outfits.

Alice found a light pink dress that flared out a little when she twirled around and Rosalie found this amazing red dress that clung to her curves lovingly.

I found a white satin and lace dress that came to my knees and made me feel confident and beautiful.

Alice and I had a great time twirling, whilst Rosalie tried to guess just how many men would hyperventilate when they saw her.

After showering and curling my hair, which Alice said made me look radiant, I put on my heels and the silver charm bracelet that Edward had given me.

"Come on, Bella!" The girls screamed from downstairs.

I ran down the stairs and followed the girls out of the cabin and down the graveled road.

"Are you sure the guys haven't let anything slip?" I asked nervously.

"No, they value their lives too much. They've been trying to get him to move on all night, though. Apparently, it's not happening," Alice giggled.

"And what happens if he turns around and says 'Sure! Screw that bitch. Hey, sexually disease ridden barfly, want to check out the backroom?'" I said in a really bad impersonation of Edward.

After they stopped laughing like banshees, Rosalie turned to me. "Did you not see him today, Bella? He's not moving on anytime soon. He loves you."

"I know," I sighed. "I'm just nervous."

"It'll be great," Alice assured me with confidence as we continued down the road.

I walked into New Moon and smiled. I'd missed this place so much.

After we found a table far enough away from the bar, Alice went to the bar to get the three of us Cosmos."

"Is here there?" I asked as she returned.

"Yes. The guys are really pissing him off. He just went into the backroom." She said with a wink, and then laughed when I glared at her.

I took a deep breath and stood up. "I've waited long enough. I'm going over there."

"You sure?" Rosalie asked wanting to make sure I was ready.

I grinned. "I'm nervous as hell and my legs may give way any second, now, but I miss him. I can't wait any longer." They smiled as I sauntered over to the bar and took a seat on one of the stools.

Emmett and Jasper walked over to me with big ass grins on their faces.

"Hey Bells! Nervous?" Emmett asked with a grin.

"Me? Never," I huffed as I tried to blow off just how much I was shaking inside. As if this wasn't one of the scariest moments of my life.

"I wonder how Edward will react when he finds out you've been in town all night." Jasper drawled, obviously wanting me to worry.

"Are you kidding? He'll kill her for not going to him first!" Emmett chuckled.

"I'm glad you both find it all so funny. I can't wait to tell him that you knew I was home and instead of telling him, you let Rosalie and Alice's womanly charms stop you from telling him." I smiled as their laughter stopped. Edward had the worst temper out of the three of them. And while he would never lay a finger on me no matter how angry he got, that didn't include Emmett and Jasper.

"Why don't you go and get him?" I suggested to Emmett.

He shook his head at me and walked away.

I took a deep breath and ran my fingers through my hair. I saw Jaspers eyes narrow in on my trembling hands. "You'll do fine." He promised and walked over to the other side of the bar.

While Emmett had gone a group of people entered the bar and had come over to order drinks. I heard Jasper shouting for Emmett to hurry his ass up so they wouldn't get swamped. Emmett came back with a wink and then rushed off towards the waiting customers. I saw Edward walk out then. He didn't see me and for that I was grateful. I needed a second to calm myself. When the customers were served and the bar was quiet once more, _So Hott_ came on and I smiled, remembering what he had told me about his reaction to the morning he and his mother had walked in on me dancing and how it had affected him. I watched as he slammed the till drawer shut and Jasper and Emmett walk over to him. I saw Emmett say something to him and throw a wink my way. I was up. I saw him storm over to the alcohol and I knew what he was making a Screaming- Sex- With- The- Bartender, it was just too good of an opportunity to pass up.

Emmett and Jasper smiled at me, and I changed my expression from nervous wreck, to calm and seductive. They applauded my acting abilities until I glared at them before Edward turned around and froze. His green eyes showed amazement, joy, fear, but I still saw that emptiness that the girls had spoken of in his eyes. It killed me, knowing I was the reason it was there. I held my smile and tried to breathe.

**EPOV **

It was her. She was here. I tried to play it cool and put a smirk on my face and walked over to her and slid her drink across the bar top. She had this small seductive smile on her beautiful face that made my heart race.

"One Screaming-Sex- With -The- Bartender," I grinned at her.

"Just one, Hot stuff? I remember when you could go at least three rounds. Are you losing your edge?" She teased her voice low and sexy as hell.

I placed my hands on the bar and leaned toward her. "Definitely not, I can prove it, if you'd like. Anytime, anywhere," I promised, letting my eyes travel across her body.

She sipped her drink, but I saw the smile. And the answering heat in her beautiful eyes.

When some upbeat song came on, she glanced towards the dance floor. I didn't take my eyes away from her.

"I have to get going, but I'll be back later," She promised she said as got down from the bar stool and walked away, only to stop and look over her shoulder. "And I'll definitely be holding you to that promise. I'll see you later, Hot stuff." She smiled and made her way through the crowd.

I watched until I couldn't see her anymore and turned to Emmett and Jasper who had big, shit eating grins on their faces.

"You knew she was here." I stated the obvious.

"Since about 1a.m.," Emmett said with a proud smile.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I demanded. I wanted to be man, but I couldn't. The woman I loved had just sauntered back into my life.

"The girls wanted your reunion to be something memorable. Don't worry; you two have already seen each other. Well, she has, you were asleep." Jasper grinned.

My jaw hit the deck. This morning, I thought. I wasn't insane; I could smell her on the pillow.

"She was with me last night, wasn't she?"

They laughed.

"She snuck out for a couple of hours last night," Emmett chuckled.

A thought hit me. "Is that why you've both been telling me to move on all day? Because you knew she was here?"

The smirks on their faces were all the answer I needed.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N Hi, well here it is. Id like to dedicate my last chapter to my wonderful beta momma2fan who put up with all my crap and never called me an idiot. She is amazing! I hope you like it.**

**EPOV**

I hadn't seen anything from Bella in over two hours and I couldn't take it anymore. The bar didn't close for another so, technically, I was supposed to be working, but I couldn't stand it. I had to see her.

Making my way through the crowd, ignoring the hands that grabbed my arm, trying to get me to dance with them, I made my way to the girls table and I frowned. Bella wasn't there.

I was starting to worry it had all been another dream. That Bella hadn't returned and Id wake up in my room, alone.

"Where is she?" I demanded, without greeting when I reached the table.

They glanced from me, to each other, and then to me again. I had come to expect this.

"I don't know what happened," Alice admitted as she played with her mood ring.

"One minute she was dancing, then she looked over at you, got all upset and then left." Rosalie told me. She looked concerned but not as much as Alice.

"Why didn't you go after her?" I demanded, wanting to strangle her.

Rosalie shrugged. "We could tell that she needed to be alone. We just don't know what happened..." She trailed off with a frown.

I ran out of the bar, ignoring Jasper and Emmett's demands to where I was going. I finally had her back; I wasn't going to let her get away now.

I tried everywhere I could think, the girls cabin, our cabin, the studio, the gym even. She wasn't anywhere.

Then a thought came to me and I ran as fast I could, hoping she'd be there.

I found her at the lake. She was sitting at the end of the dock, her bare feet swinging from side to side, inches away from the water.

I knew she would never actually put her feet into the dark water. She had told me once that she had been scarred for life after watching shark movies and sitting there, with your feet in the water, half naked, was just asking for trouble.

"Well, you're just asking for trouble," I commented as I sat down next to her.

I saw her smile as she watched her feet swing, but I could see the sadness it her.

Dammit, I felt like I was on a speeding train, that was seconds away from going off the tracks and I couldn't control it.

Jesus, I sounded dramatic to even myself.

"Bella," I sighed and couldn't keep the pain and longing out of my voice. I couldn't lose her again. I wouldn't.

"Bella, look at me," I ordered gently.

I knew from experience that she tended to get defensive when she was upset. Yelling at her wouldn't get you anywhere. She'd just get angry.

She looked straight into my eyes. Her big, expressive brown eyes, were filled with tears.

"What happened?" I asked as I brushed away her tears with my thumbs, loving how she leaned into my touch. I saw that as a good sing and leaned forward to kiss away her tears. It felt incredibly right to do something so intimate. How could she not realize that what we had was special? I was willing to fight and claw to keep it. Was she?

"Tell me," I breathed, needing to know whether I had to add her to my list of people to fight to win this battle.

While kissing her tears away, I was not letting her go. I loved Bella and I was keeping her and she would just have to get used to that idea. I didn't care if I sounded like a stalker.

"I shouldn't have come back," She whispered and I froze.

"What?" I demanded, wanting to kick myself. I had just been talking about fighting even Bella to get her, but I actually truly thought it would be an issue.

"I was on the dance floor earlier and I saw you and you just looked so happy. But then I realized that if it weren't for me, you would have never gone through any of that pain. It's all my fault. I am just like your father." She finished.

"What?" I gaped at her.

"You told me that your dad would leave and then just come back and pretend like nothing had happened. That's exactly what I did." Her accent was getting thicker as she spoke.

I held her face in my hands. "Bella, you are nothing like my father."

"But-"

"No." I cut her off. "My dad would leave because he's seen something in a short skirt and could give a shit about his family. You didn't. Bella, I may not have wanted you to go. I may have hated that you left, but I have always understood why. When Alice and Rosalie told me about Jacob and your father, I knew the day would come when you would have to confront them and you're past. I wished it would be when we were married and you were legally mine, but.." I teased and then leaned in and brushed her soft lips with mine. "I always knew it would come Bella. And I always knew you would come back to me."

I had to smile when her jaw actually dropped.

"What do you mean?"

I chuckled. "I know you Bella, better than you know yourself. I knew you would face you father and realize that you are exactly who you are meant to be and I knew, when you realized that, then you would come back to me."

I watched as a thousand thoughts seemed to go through her head. "What If I hadn't come back?" She demanded.

I smiled. "If you love something, set it free. If it loves you, it will come back. If it doesn't then it was never yours to begin with." I grinned. "Cheesy, but true. Besides, I would have gone to Forks and dragged your ass back here."

"But, you, you asked me to come back. You were so upset when I left!" She accused.

"Of course, I was. I love you and I didn't want you to leave. I missed you like fucking crazy and the thought of you off with another guy, killed me, but I knew. I believed in you Bella, even when you didn't believe in yourself. So did Alice and Rosalie."

"But, they told me how you reacted to my letter. Why would you react like that if you thought I'd come back."

I smiled. "All because I knew you'd come back didn't mean it didn't kill me to watch you leave. I didn't mean that I couldn't breathe without you. I just knew you'd come back and then you did." I smiled. "But now your here with all this guilt, talking about you being like my dad and I feel like I'm losing you. I'll fight for you, Bella. I always will. Even if it's you."

"I can't believe this. So, this whole 'Zombie Edward' was all fake?" She asked with a frown.

I grinned. "I wish. It wasn't lies Bella. It killed me to be away with you and I won't lie, or be that arrogant, sometimes, when it felt hard to breathe, I worried you wouldn't come back. But then Id remember how you looked at me with such love and I knew that you would come back."

"How? Even I didn't!" She burst out.

"I have faith." I answered.

"Faith," She muttered. "I can't believe this. I thought we'd had this painful break up and you were miserable."

"I was!" I interrupted when I sensed she was getting angry.

"I thought that Id destroyed you, Edward. I thought you couldn't live without me and that you were pining away for me. And all this time you knew I'd come back because I loved you too much, you arrogant bastard!" She finished and shoved me away from her, getting to her feet.

"I told you I was miserable." I shouted as I followed after her as she stormed away. "I missed you every second. I would lay there sometimes and just picture your face."

"Don't you try and get back into my good books!" She snapped.

I laughed, I was happy, despite the 'arrogant bastard' comment, that we were together. Even if she was mad at me. It was better than her being sad.

We'd had enough sadness and pain, lately. It was time for me to get my woman.

Without another word, I charged her.

"Let me go, you stupid son of a bitch!" She squealed as her legs went out from under her.

"Never." I answered as I crushed my mouth to hers.

Finally, I thought as he tongue brushed against mine. I had her back.

We continued to kiss and I carried her home and up to my bedroom.

The past week had been hard. I had missed her more than I ever thought possible. But it was worth it because Bella knew what she needed to know to carry on with her life now. All the pain and fear that I felt had all been worth it so that she knew she was perfect. And that she was mine and always would be.

"I love you," I whispered as I lowered her onto the bed.

"I love you," She answered as she pulled me into her arms. "Always."

* * *

**BPOV**

**Christmas Day.**

Christmas carols were playing low in the background, the smell of a traditional feast filled the air, we had gone, let's just say, a tad over board. The guys lit the log fire which had never been used until today.

I looked around at my friends and the love of my life whilst seasoning the parsnips, before Edward ushered me away, that is. We were all laughing and enjoying each other's company.

All of us were spending the holidays on Jaspers families' ranch in Texas. All of the mothers had come to stay, Including Renee and Phil. She and Beth had hit it off like a house on fire and were already planning our wedding and naming our children.

So far, food had been spilled; plates had been broken and had a screaming match in the kitchen, each of us blaming the other for everything going wrong.

The guys had soon settled things by offering to finish the dinner, telling us girls to go relax, saying they could make desert. The desert was store bought so all they had to do was serve it out.

We had a bet going that they'd still argue. The holidays brought the best out in everyone.

That's what I loved about them. We could be screaming at each other one minute and the next we were all in fits of giggles. It had kept us all on our toes for the few months, that was for sure

We were all finally sitting around the table; the guys had pulled in from one of the barns where it was being stored. Claiming it would be so hot if we could watch the guys using their muscles and that they could take their shirts off if they wanted. We had burst out laughing when they had ripped their shirts off and got to work. Men would be men.

I looked around the table. Everyone I loved most in the world was in the same room.

After dinner, we all helped clean and finally gathered in front of the wood burning fire to exchange presents.

Edward had given me the most amazing gift ever; a thick quilt with pictures of two of us on it. It had brought tears to my eyes to know that he knew what I would prefer something sentimental than flashy.

Later that night, I stood looking at the tree, revelling in the magic of Christmas day, when I felt two strong arms wrap around my waist

Edward pressed a kissed to my neck and then rested his chin on my shoulder.

I had to ask. "A signed baseball cap? Why would you give Rosalie that?" I laughed.

I felt his body shake as he chuckled. "Hey, I still think it's a good gift and besides, Emmett bet me twenty bucks that I wouldn't have the balls to do it."

I just shook my head and smiled. Boys.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked.

"I was just thinking about Christmas. It magical, don't you think?"

"Christmas is when it's with you." He answered and I turned in his arms to kiss him.

The months leading up to Christmas hadn't always been easy, but I wouldn't change a single second of it.

I couldn't even bring myself to regret leaving my home for Jacob because it had finally allowed me to see my father for who he really was. I had finally been able to let go of the guilt I had been carrying around for so many years. The guilt of not being able to be who they wanted me to be, of never loving Jacob the way I thought I should. The guilt of the accident.

The only thing I regretted about it was how much I had hurt Edward. Even though Edward had told me that he believed I would return to him, that didn't mean he hadn't been in pain. I would never stop trying to make it up to him for causing that. No matter how many times he told her it wasn't nessacary.

Edward had also proposed the morning after our reunion. Id said no. He had asked me repeatedly to explain why I had turned down his proposal. I had explained every time that it wasn't because it was _him_who was proposing, that it was because I wasn't ready for marriage.

I loved my life exactly the way it was. I loved my job and my friends and the cabin I shared with the girls I saw as my sisters. I loved having the love of my life right next door.

I didn't want anything to change. Not just yet, anyway.

Both Alice and Rosalie had told me that they felt the same. Right now, everything was perfect. Yes, one day we would get married and start families, and I knew without a single doubt in my mind who I would start that journey with. Edward.

The guys would just have to learn to be patient.

Oh, that's right; Rosalie and Alice had also gotten proposals. Alice had passed out and Rosalie had laughed at the fact that Emmett was pasty when he asked her. It was like he felt he had to ask in case she might get mad because he was the only one who hadn't. He had even admitted it when she turned him down.

The guys often made jokes that most guys would take it badly when their girlfriends rejected their marriage proposals and they might even start to feel unloved.

Alice had just told them that it was Karma coming round to bite them on the ass for their former womanizing ways.

Every day was like that. It was fun and new. Yes, we argued a lot. Not only the couples, but all six of us. If Rosalie was pissed at Jasper, then she'd let him know.  
It was just how it was. We were close and that meant that sometimes things got heated and loud. But not one of us would change it for anything.

As I gazed into the intense green eyes that had stolen my heart the very first time I'd seen them, I knew everything would be okay.

As he kissed me in front of the perfectly decorated Christmas tree, with the sound of our friend's laughter in the background, I knew that no matter where life might take me, I would enjoy the ride. I would love Edward with every bone in my body for the rest of eternity. And I would take chances.

Taking a chance on Alice's _Dirty Dancing_ fantasy had lead me to Edward. Had lead Alice and Rosalie to Jasper and Emmett.

Taking that one chance, had lead me to where I belonged.

The End.

**A/N And there we go. I hope you all liked it and you check out momma2fan. I have had so much going over this story again. I laughed and cried rather pathetically, but it was so much fun!**


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